Equilibrium
by TheGuineapig3
Summary: The 5-year anniversary of the reunited world should be a time of celebration for both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, but not everyone is celebrating. Wracked by political turmoil and familial strife, Lloyd, Colette, and Genis are left to help a mysterious visitor from a world long past. (Companion to Perigee; Shelloyd, Zelette, Kranna, Yuartel)
1. Chapter 1

Thank you everyone for always supporting my stories! I've been working hard on this one, picking up (generally) where we left off in _Perigee_ , so I'm very excited to share. As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 52:  
** _Dithis dhaoine fhaicinn rudeigin aon chan urrainn.  
_ Two people can see what one cannot.

1-

 _The siege of Nor'este lasted 7 months and two weeks. It was to be remembered as the longest unsuccessful siege of the Kharlan War, but at the time those involved weren't worried about history. The foreigners who'd been unexpectedly trapped in the city weren't allowed to leave immediately following Nor'este's liberation so that the total damage could be assessed. For those who'd just been passing through at the time of the siege, their proverbial_ 3-hour-tour _had been turned into almost a year during which they were separated from friends and family. For many of the young ones, it was their first time coming face to face with the true horrors of war. The knight who returned with his charge to the South Inlet Hospital had watched the young teen's understanding of the world shift over the past months, and wished he could assure him that things weren't going to get worse. But despite the worsening state of the war, there was at least some hope in a reunion._

" _SISTER!"_

" _Mithos… oh, Mithos!"_

 _Martel and Yuan had been waiting expectantly, and when Kratos and Mithos appeared over the crest of the nearby dune, Martel broke into a run to greet them. Mithos slid down the sandy embankment, falling into his sister's arms as he did so. The look of defiant bravery that Kratos had observed on the boy's features over the past months melted away, and Mithos cried against Martel's chest. It was hard to hear him, though, over the loud sobs coming from his sister. Martel was usually soft-spoken, but when she cried, she was_ loud.

 _Kratos was content watching them, but he was immediately approached by Yuan. He hadn't seen his friend's face in months, and was surprised. Kratos knew that he and Mithos looked a wreck, but he hadn't expected the same of Yuan and Martel. Yuan's hair was untied, his features unusually stiff, and he looked as though he'd aged more than just a year in the time they'd been gone._

 _Kratos sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I've got to say, there were some times I wasn't sure we'd ever see this place again. It's been a while. So much for our three week training camp, right?"_

 _Kratos expected one of Yuan's usual, cliche retorts, but Yuan didn't respond right away. He narrowed his eyes and gestured Kratos closer. "Can I talk to you privately for a moment?"_

 _A quick glance over at Martel and Mithos assured the two that the siblings weren't paying them any mind, but Kratos stepped closer and lowered his voice anyway. "What are you-?"_

" _The letter you sent us last week… it mentioned you fighting on the front lines during the siege. Did you really?"_

" _Of course I did." Kratos nodded. "I couldn't just let the-"_

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"

 _Kratos almost jumped back. "What was I thinking? I was thinking that the sooner the siege was over, the sooner we could get back to you and the fewer people would get hurt or die in Nor'este."_

" _But what about you? You could've died." Yuan said the last part through clenched teeth._

" _...Yuan?"_

" _If something had happened to you, what would become of Mithos? You were all he had there, you idiot!" Yuan reached out, grabbing the front of Kratos' shirt. "He's just a kid. How could you risk leaving him alone like that? If something had happened to him, how do you think Martel would react?"_

 _Kratos exhaled the breath he'd been holding. "And here I thought you were actually worried about me. But Martel is the only one who matters to you, isn't she?"_

" _That's not what I meant-"_

 _Kratos took Yuan's hand and pulled it away from his shirt, crossing his arms over his chest. "Mithos is thirteen now. He's a skilled fighter and can take care of himself. I wouldn't have taken him to study under Master Shiro if I didn't think he was ready."_

 _Yuan rolled his eyes. "I'm so sick of hearing about him. It's Master Shiro this and Master Shiro that-It's all because of him that you got into this mess. Just because that old coot is the one who trained you doesn't mean he's the best for teaching Mithos."_

" _Excuse me?" Kratos' expression darkened. "I'm sorry, but we can't all get our diplomas from the Sylvarant school of hard knocks-"_

" _You stuck up-" Yuan hissed his response, cutting off as he heard Martel and Mithos' voices and remembered that they were nearby. "I'm not saying that you weren't taught the right way. I'm just saying that the world is changing and you've got to stop living in the past. Mithos doesn't deserve that!"_

" _There you go again, pretending to care about Mithos and the future."_

" _I_ do _care about Mithos, dammit! We're all trying to work toward a better future. You're not superior just because you were fighting at Nor'este this whole time. Martel and I were on a battlefield of our own here at the hospital!" He stopped and glanced away. "Did you get_ any _of our letters?"_

 _Kratos shook his head. "Not any that were sent before the siege ended. All the letters that came in while the city was blockaded were burnt to ensure no spy messages went through."_

" _I figured as much," Yuan sighed. "You have no idea the kind of things that have been going on here. Fort Fisher has been constantly under attack, and the nearby port has been overrun with soldiers. Innocent people have been dying every day, and there's only so much we can do."_

 _Kratos was quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you and Martel faced a difficult time here as well. I shouldn't have been so dismissive of your efforts."_

 _Yuan turned away. "There's only so many children you can bury before it breaks you."_

" _I know."_

 _There was silence between them again. Martel and Mithos had transitioned from crying into coherent conversation, so Kratos and Yuan decided it was time for them to join the group again. However, Yuan tugged at Kratos' cloak one last time._

" _Hm?"_

" _I…" Yuan began, glancing down at the grass under his feet. "...I really am glad you're okay."_

 _Knowing that Yuan wasn't looking at him, Kratos allowed himself a small smile._

" _I'm glad you're okay as well."_

* * *

It was raining again when Lloyd exited the house. He glanced up at the dark clouds above him and sighed sadly. All of that work on a fair-weather charm and it still hadn't been enough to drive away the persistent dreariness that seemed to have engulfed all of western Sylvarant and eastern Tethe'alla the past few weeks. No doubt it would be worse where he was going… but the Great Tree always provided shelter from the elements.

Pulling the hood of his coat over his head, he stepped out from the doorway of Dirk's house. He'd only taken two steps, however, when a voice stopped him.

"Gonnae fur a stroll sae early in th' morn, are we?"

Lloyd froze. "Dad!" He twirled around on his heels, waving at the form of his father in the doorway. "I didn't think you were awake yet."

"Whaur exactly are ye off tae? Not back tae Luin, I hiner."

"N-no!" Lloyd shook his head. "I'm going to meet Genis and Colette at the Great Tree, remember? We were going to watch the sunrise together… though that's kind of a bust now, I guess. But I can't just stand them up."

Dirk frowned, but sighed in resignation. "Aye, ye cannae do that. But there's still somethin' I need tae discuss wi' ye. I got th' letter frae the agent in Luin, min'?"

"Right!" Lloyd clasped his hands together, offering a pleasant smile. "We can discuss it over breakfast. I shouldn't be gone too long."

"Dae ye hink puttin' aff the conversation will change my answer? If ye hink ye can pester me intae sayin' _yes,_ ye dae' kin how stubborn a Dwarf can be."

"That's not what I'm trying to do at all, Dad! I'll be back by breakfast time and show you exactly what I'm thinking. Okay?"

There was a pause before Dirk answered.

"Dae' be late."

"I won't," Lloyd turned around and waved behind him, "I promise."

" _Cha 'n eil fealladh ann cho mòr ris an gealladh gun choimhlionadh_ ," Dirk called,

"Dwarven Vow 19," Lloyd translated back, "there is no deceit so great as a promise unfulfilled. Got it!"

The rain continued as Dirk stayed by the doorway, watching Lloyd as he disappeared. He glanced back into the house, at the table where the paper lay. The humidity made everything in the house damp, and Dirk didn't want to touch the again letter lest he damage it. But it was time-sensitive and Lloyd kept putting off accepting Dirk's answer to his offer.

From a short distance away, under his own shelter, Noishe gave a low whine. Dirk smiled, taking a few steps out to greet Noishe and give him a scratch on the chin.

"Aye, dog. Ye said it better than I could. The lad daes whit he wants…" He paused and shook his head. "...jist like a Dwarf."

* * *

Genis and Colette were waiting patiently for Lloyd under a dry patch beside the Great Tree. Genis had spread a blanket over the ground to keep the mud off of them, and Colette was laid out on it, her head resting in Genis' lap as she dozed. Seeing Lloyd approaching in the twilight, Genis waved his lantern and nudged Colette.

"Hey, Colette, wake up."

It was clear that she heard his voice, but her response was only a groan as she snuggled closer to him. Genis sighed and pushed her hair out of her face.

"Colette, wake up. Lloyd's here."

She shot to a seated position, eyes wide as though she hadn't been half-asleep just the moment before. "Lloyd!"

Lloyd laughed as he ducked under the cover of the tree's branches, removing his wet coat and boots before joining his friends on the blanket. Colette tackled him in a hug and he responded likewise, the two giggling in sync with one another. Genis rolled his eyes, but he couldn't suppress a chuckle of his own. It had been at least a month since they'd all been together like this, and they weren't going to let anything get in the way of their fun- not even a cold winter rainstorm.

Colette handed Lloyd a book she'd borrowed from him a few months earlier, and Lloyd handed over another, even thicker novel that she accepted with great enthusiasm. Genis reached into his bag and pulled out a thermos, passing it over to Lloyd. "In your last letter you said that your mom was sick, so I made some chicken soup for her. I hope she's feeling better now, but I wanted to let her know I was thinking about her."

Colette gasped. "Oh no, that's right! I'd made a get-well charm for her and forgot to bring it-"

Lloyd took the thermos with one hand and waved to Colette with the other. "Don't worry. Kratos took some time off from the militia too so that he could look after her, and she's feeling a lot better now. I think it was just a combination of the cold weather and the rain. But she'll be _so_ glad to know you guys cared this much! You're the best!"

Colette sighed in relief and Genis gave a soft laugh, patting her on the shoulder. Lloyd turned to put the thermos away with his belongings, though it got caught in his bag strap and he had to wrestle with it for a moment to untangle only prompted more laughter from Genis, spurring Lloyd's frustration, but within a few moments everything had gone quiet again.

"So," Lloyd spoke, sitting back once they'd settled back down, "I have some _big_ news that I think you guys are gonna want to hear."

"Ooh!" Colette scooted closer. "I do too, but you can go first, Lloyd!"

A haughty grin spread over Lloyd's face. "No, no, you should go first, Colette. My news is a pretty big deal, so I don't want to overshadow you. I don't mean to brag, but… I'm pretty sure my news is the best."

"Hehe, of course!" Colette didn't argue, but Genis muttered something under his breath and she picked up on it. "Genis? Do you have news too?"

His face reddened and he glanced away. "I-I mean, it's not _big_ news or anything, but I did have something I wanted to tell you-"

"Tell us, tell us!" Lloyd leaned over, latching onto Genis' arm.

Genis flinched, shooing Lloyd away. "Get off me, would you? It's not that big of a deal, I just wanted to say…" Once again, his face turned red and he made a point of not looking at either of his friends. "...th-the other day, I, uh… asked Nika to go with me to the Unification Day picnic… y'know, l-like, as a _date_ … and she said yes."

Colette responded with a sound that was somewhere between a gasp and a high-pitched squeal. "Oh, _Genis!_ That's fantastic! I told you she liked you, didn't I?"

"Not bad, buddy!" Lloyd elbowed Genis with a grin. "I mean, you've only been trying to work up the courage to ask her out for more than a year now. It's about time."

"D-don't patronize me!"

"I'm just _saying_ -"

"You have no right to talk! Do you remember how long you had a crush on Sheena before you asked her out?"

"That was different."

"It was _not-"_

"Genis," Colette broke in, her soft voice immediately calming their fight, "what about her little sister? Is Bianca going with you too, or did Nika find a babysitter?"

"Well, uh," Genis scratched the back of his head nervously, "Raine agreed to watch her."

"Oh?" Lloyd's eyes glinted mischievously. "I'm sure Raine will tell Bianca a _lot_ of embarrassing childhood stories that she can take back to her big sis!"

Colette prepared herself to get in between another spat, but it didn't happen. Genis was quiet for a moment, not even attempting to argue with Lloyd.

"Honestly… I hope she does. Maybe it'll get her to loosen up a little."

There was a pause.

"What's going on?" Colette reached out for Genis' hand. "Is she okay?"

"Y-yeah. I mean…" Genish shrugged. "...she's buried in her work, doing what she loves. She goes into the lab early, comes home later, never takes days off… I'm surprised that she even agreed to watch Bianca during the picnic." His head drooped, his hair falling in his face as he continued. "She's stressed and overworked, no matter how much she claims otherwise. I think she and Professor Low are both trying to diminish the backlash from their last publication."

"I heard about that," Lloyd offered. "Some people at the docks were talking about attending a protest in Meltokio. Did you see that, Colette?"

"I heard about it. Seles wasn't feeling well that day, so I stayed with her for the whole afternoon. But Zelos said it almost got violent. People were calling for the Tethe'alla government to stop funding the project-"

"Was Zelos protesting too?!" Genis bristled.

"N-no! You know he supports Professor Sage's work!" Colette shook her head. "He heard about it from some friends of ours who got caught on their way to the market. Protesters were saying that the project was only being funded because Professor Low has friends who are high-ranking government officials."

Lloyd frowned. "She does? Geez, I guess even science isn't free from the bias of _who-you-know_ -"

"So what if Professor Low has some politician friends?!" Genis scrambled to his feet, causing Lloyd and Colette to jump back in surprise. The sound of the rain against the tree's leaves intensified as though the storm were echoing Genis' emotions. "That doesn't change the fact that she's Tethe'alla's best archeologist and foremost expert on magitechnology! She and Raine would never let politics stand in the way of sound research."

Lloyd held up his hands. "G-Genis, we never said any of that. You know we trust their judgement."

"Yeah. Zelos said that the King doesn't have any reason to justify revoking their funding. And even if he were to revoke it on insufficient evidence, the Lezareno Company has already promised to privately fund the project."

Genis sighed, dropping back down onto the blanket. "...you're right. I'm sorry. I guess Raine's stress is rubbing off on me."

Colette placed a hand on his shoulder. "If you let yourself get consumed by stress like this, there's no way you'll be able to help her. You should focus on finding the good in the situation. I know your sister, and I know that, if she's involved, then things will turn out alright in the end."

"Thanks, guys." Genis allowed himself to smile. "I guess I just needed to remember who I'm dealing with. If Raine caught me worrying like this, she'd be furious. I've got to keep a level head for both our sakes, at least until their next publication puts all this trouble to rest."

"That's the spirit!" Lloyd pumped his fist in the air and then gave Genis a nudge. "You've gotta keep yourself in good shape for your _girlfriend_ , remember?"

Genis blushed. "D-didn't Colette have news for us too? What's going on in your world, Colette?"

"Oh, me?" Colette had been watching her friends, a dreamy smile on her face, so when she was addressed it took her a moment to respond. "I suppose it's alright to tell you…"

"What is it? What is it?" Lloyd leaned in closer with an eager grin. Genis nudged him, trying to give Colette some space, but Lloyd nudged Genis back a little harder. Genis retaliated, and within a moment, the two were engaged in a playful tussle that was only broken once Colette spoke up again.

"Here." She gently removed her left glove, setting it aside onto the blanket and holding her hand up in display. Even in the overcast twilight atmosphere, it was impossible to miss the glint of the elegant diamonds that adorned her ring finger. "Ta-dah."

Lloyd's eyes widened, gasping a drawn-out ' _wow~_ ' while Genis' mouth hung open, one hand flying to cover it. "No," Genis whispered. "No way. He _didn't_. Oh my gods."

Colette pulled her hand back to her chest with a weak chuckle. "So, uh, there's my news."

"That is a _gorgeous_ ring, Colette!" Lloyd reached out and took her hand, almost squeezing her wrist in enthusiasm. "Where did you _get_ it?!"

"L-Lloyd…" Colette stammered, her face flushing slightly. "...Zelos gave it to me."

"Really? What's the occasion? It's not your birthday. And Valentine's Day isn't for another month-"

Genis tapped him on the shoulder. "It's an _engagement ring_ , genius. He asked her to _marry_ him."

Lloyd blinked a few times as he looked back and forth between Genis and Colette. "Oh…" he breathed, and then spoke again with more certainty. "Oh. _Oh!_ "

"We're not officially announcing the engagement until the picnic, so you have to keep it quiet." Colette pressed a finger to her lips. "The gossip in Meltokio is pretty bad, especially where Zelos in involved, so I don't want to give him a hard time."

Genis drew a finger over his lips in response. "Don't worry about a thing, Colette. We won't tell anyone."

"Of course!" Lloyd flashed her a thumbs-up. "I won't tell anyone- except Noishe, probably, since he can't tell… and I assume it's alright if Sheena knows… and all my parents, for sure-"

" _Lloyd_." Genis' voice was almost a growl. "When you say you won't tell _anybody_ , that means you can't tell a single person. Not your dad or mom or girlfriend or even your dog."

"N-now, I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem to tell Noishe-" Colette began, but Lloyd cut her off.

"No, he's right. Dwarven Vow twenty-six, it's not a secret if three know it. I mean, three of us _do_ know, but that's not really the point…" Lloyd stopped and shook his head, a bright smiled spreading over his face. "...the point _is_ , my best friend is _getting married!_ " He rose to his feet, taking Colette's hands and jumping up and down. She followed, but her movement was lacking the same enthusiasm. Lloyd stopped as soon as he realized this, leaning down. "Colette?"

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"That's my line," Lloyd replied. "Call me crazy, but your smile doesn't look like the smile of a girl who's going to marry the love of her life. What's up?"

"N-nothing's wrong!" Colette shook her head. "I'm just kinda tired, is all. I was up late last night grading last week's spelling tests, so-"

" _Colette_." Both Lloyd and Genis spoke at the same time, their expressions making it clear that they weren't accepting her answer. She glanced back and forth at them for a moment and then sighed in resignation.

"Sorry. It's not a big deal, it's just that Zelos is kind of… stressed. He's been acting kind of weird about the picnic, and I'm worried about him."

"Weird about the picnic?" Genis repeated. "Like, how? Is he worried there's going to be more unrest during a large-scale event like that?"

"That might be part of it, but I think there's something else going on." Colette shook her head. "Zelos told me that, when we announce our engagement, he's going to frame it as the merging of the Sylvarant and Tethe'allan Chosen lineage. It's supposed to be symbolic of the reuniting of the worlds, but… I don't think that's what he really wants."

"I'll say." Lloyd gave a frown of disgust. "That makes it sound like an obligatory arranged marriage, which is something Zelos _hates._ "

"Right?" The more Colette talked about it, the surer of herself she grew. "And not only that, we've totally stopped talking about _Chosen_ stuff. Neither of us care about that anymore. We just want to be normal people- so why would he suddenly decide to highlight our Chosen status in the midst of something so important to us?"

Lloyd and Genis were quiet. They glanced at one another, and then back at Colette. "Have you tried asking him about it?" Genis asked.

"I… don't want to bother him when he's working so hard…"

"Colette!" Lloyd grabbed her left hand, jabbing a finger in the direction of her ring finger. "That ring he gave you is permission to bother him as much as you want, any time you want, for the _rest of your lives_. Ask him what's wrong."

Colette stared back at him, wide-eyed. "I-I…" She began to sniffle. "...I will, I promise…"

"Aw, c'mon, don't cry. It's really okay. Can't you smile for me- where's that smile?"

She pulled away, hiding her face, though both Lloyd and Genis could hear her giggling. "Lloyd, I'm really okay-" Colette had reached out to put her glove back on, but Lloyd picked it up before she could get it. He stepped off the blanket, waving the glove in the air.

"Not so fast! You're not getting this back until you show me a smile!"

"L-Lloyd!" Colette ran after him, beginning to laugh. "Give it back! Stop being silly!"

"Who's the one being silly? I'd give it back if you'll just smile at me."

"I _am_ smiling!"

"That's not good enough. I want a _big_ smile- a smile so sunny, it'll drive all these rain clouds away!"

"Lloyd! Haha, just give it back-"

Genis watched as the two ran around the trunk of the tree a few times, Lloyd holding the glove out and almost letting Colette get it, then yanking away at the last second. After a few minutes of this, she managed to grab hold of his arm, their laughter echoing around the area as she held him in place and tried to wrest the glove from his hand. Genis noticed that they were approaching an embankment along the hill, and he finally stood up to discourage them from getting any closer.

"Hey, all the rain lately has been undercutting that hillside. I don't want you guys tripping and falling or something-"

" _EEEK!_ "

Too late. Genis groaned.

"Colette! Are you okay?" Lloyd slid down the hill where she'd fallen, extending a hand to help her up. Genis' voice had surprised them both, and when she released her grip on Lloyd, he had drawn back faster than she'd anticipated. Colette had taken a step backward to steady herself, but her foot hit an unstable patch of ground and she'd been sent tumbling down the steep hillside.

"I'm fine. Just muddy and wet." Colette took his hand, rising to her feet again. She was soaked from the rain and covered in sandy mud from head to toe. "I guess these clothes will have to go straight into the wash when I get home."

"You should come back with me to Iselia. You can borrow some of my clothes, and Dad's porridge will warm you right up." Lloyd helped her to her feet. "What do you say? It won't take long to fly back at all-"

"You could also come back to Palmacosta with me," Genis volunteered, joining them. "I'd be happy to let you use my bath, and-"

"You guys, I'm really okay." Colette waved her hands. "Besides, Meltokio is closest, and Zelos is waiting for me. I just…"

Lloyd noticed her looking away, and followed her gaze toward the exposed dirt on the hillside. "What is it?"

"My foot hit something when I was falling, and I'm not sure what it was- see it, there?"

The corner of a dark object could be seen sticking out of the soil, a different color than the few rocks that were mixed in. Genis approached it first, frowning as he saw the squared-off edges. Whatever it was, it was man-made.

"It's wooden-" he began, but Lloyd stepped in front of him and began digging it out. With the soil so wet, it wasn't difficult to pull it free. Lloyd was left with a small wooden chest, worn and covered in dirt.

"Whoa…" he murmured, looking it over. "...Colette, you found _buried treasure!_ "

"I did?" Colette drew closer, brushing soil off the top. "It doesn't look like the normal treasure chests that you find around. It's more of a box- oh, and there's something carved on the top!"

Lloyd had brushed off the side closest to him, revealing a shiny metallic latch. He allowed his attention to stray from it long enough to look at the top. "Hey, you're right. Is it a picture? Or words of some kind?"

"Set that down over here," Genis instructed, and Lloyd carried the box back up the hill and under the cover of the tree. The three of them did their best to clean off the box, Colette making use of her clothes that were already soiled anyway. It was still worn and difficult to read, but they could make out the letters on the top of the box now, two words listed one atop the other.

" _ADORA MARTEL_ ," Lloyd read. "What does that mean?"

"Do you think it has something to do with the goddess Martel?" Colette suggested. "It could be an offering of some kind."

Genis nodded. "That sounds right. _Adora_ is an imperative form of the Latin verb _adorare,_ which means 'to worship.' A box with this inscription was most likely placed here by someone making an offering to a deity."

"But… it was clearly buried near the tree," Lloyd pointed out, "so it had to have been buried here after the regeneration of the world. Hasn't the Church of Martel kinda broken up?"

"No, I think there are still some powerful sects in various places around the world. They're the ones who're so angry about Raine's research. I wonder if they…"

He stopped speaking as he saw Lloyd begin to reach for the latch. With a gasp, he slapped his hand over Lloyd's.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"I just want to see what's in it." Lloyd shrugged. "I'm not going to _take_ it or anything."

"Even so, you shouldn't just open an offering like this! It's disrespectful!"

"What are you talking about? It's archeology. Your sister does this kinda thing for a living."

"But she never does it to such _recent_ artefacts!"

"So? It's the same principle."

"It is _not-_ "

As they argued, Colette took the box from Lloyd and began examining it. The two didn't pay her any mind until they heard the slight _click_ of the box's latch and a creaking noise as Colette began to open the lid.

"C-Colette!" Genis snapped, turning around and shoving his hand over hers, closing the box before she could peek inside. "Close it up again!"

"S-sorry." Colette blushed. "I was just curious. It wouldn't hurt just to look, would it-?"

She cut off. Lloyd and Genis' eyes shot over to the box at the same time. There was a noise coming from it, a high-pitched, almost gasping sound.

Lloyd leaned forward, his voice growing grave. "I-is there something… _alive_ in there?"

Colette stiffened and set the box back on the ground in between them. She glanced back and forth between Genis and Lloyd, trying to gauge whether or not it would be dangerous to open the lid. Seeing them so focused, she took a deep breath and pushed the rusty hinges so that the entire opening of the box was exposed.

Immediately, she let out a squeal, her hands flying over her mouth and her eyes growing wide.

"I-Is it…?"

Genis sucked in a sharp gasp. "It's alive, but it can't breathe! We've gotta do something!" He went straight to action while Lloyd stared, his face growing pale.

"Wh-who…" Lloyd stammered in horror. "...who would make an offering out of a _baby_ …?"

* * *

 _A note on Dirk's dialect: I typically don't write out accents, but in this story I've chosen to write Dirk's dialogue in a very watered-down (that is, understandable by an English-speaker) adaption of the Scots dialect/language. I can read and understand the language, but am not fluent enough to actually speak it, so I've been relying on online resources to put together dialogue in such a way that it captures the characterization without being too difficult on an English-speaking reader. My proofreader says that she has no trouble with it and likes the effect it has on the writing, but if you have a problem with it or need me to tone it down, please let me know. Thanks a bunch, and I hope you continue to enjoy! Updates will be weekly on Fridays._


	2. Chapter 2

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 2:  
** _Riamh leig seachad cuideigin ann an fheum_.  
Never abandon someone in need.

 **2-**

The return of Mizuho's temporary ambassador was usually met with excitement from the villagers, especially children, who flocked to the chief's house calling ' _Sheena's back! Sheena's back!_ ' in hopes that there would be some sort of foreign sweets or toys brought back as souvenirs. But today the village was quiet. Something had happened to set even the children on-edge, and Sheena found no one to greet her when she made it to the village gate. She walked back to her grandfather's house in silence, wondering if it had anything to do with the recent scientific controversy making headlines in Meltokio and Palmacosta. After all, her grandfather had been asked by the King to give Mizuho's opinion on the matter, and while he initially refused to let the outside world know their thoughts, it was becoming more and more difficult to avoid taking sides.

And from the looks on her grandfather and Tiga's faces when she entered, she knew that they were ready to provide the outside world an answer.

"You've… made a decision without me?"

Sheena looked back and forth between her grandfather and his co-chief, unable to figure out what else to say. Igaguri frowned, looking to Tiga for support, and Tiga was happy to explain.

"The village's opposition was expressed in an overwhelming majority. One more vote otherwise wouldn't have changed the outcome." He handed a folded piece of paper toward Sheena with a nod. "Much as we want to remain separate from the outside world, we are dependent on the Great Tree's mana just as much as everyone else. The people of Mizuho cannot remain undecided in the face of such a risky endeavor when the safety of the world's mana supply is at stake."

Sheena took the paper, her hand shaking. "B-but that's not true at all. This project isn't nearly as dangerous as its opponents make it out to be. You _know_ Professor Sage. She lived much of her life in the declining world, so she'd _never_ do something that could endanger the world's mana supply-"

"Your perspective is not misguided, Sheena," Igaguri interrupted. "I have no doubt that you want only the best for Mizuho and the world. But-"

"Then why won't you hear me out?"

"As the future chief of this village, _you_ need to learn to listen to _your people_." Tiga responded. "Only by doing that will you earn the same respect. You know that."

Igaguri reached over to place his hand on top of Tiga's. "She does. But it's important to remember that her experience outside the village has affected her worldview. In a way, I think she may have more wisdom on this subject than some of us elders."

Sheena blushed, looking down at her knees. "Th-that's not-"

"Chief, you're not suggesting that we go back on our promise to the villagers?" Tiga interrupted.

"I'm not saying that at all. As our temporary ambassador, Sheena is obligated to carry the message of her people no matter her own personal feelings. However, she is also an intelligent young woman who wants to do what's best for her people. Grappling with personal wishes and civil obligations is something every leader must do at some point." Igaguri stopped momentarily and cleared his throat. "Say, Tiga, I think Mizuki was looking for you earlier. She said something about an incident with her daughter's calligraphy set. You should probably go see what that's about. I'll continue talking to my granddaughter alone."

Tiga sighed and stood up, walking toward the entryway with a respectful nod. "Of course. I'm sure it's the same thing as usual."

Sheena wanted to laugh as she gave a thought to little Kumiko's wild calligraphy antics of late, but she didn't want to appear irreverent. She was certain that her grandfather was chasing Tiga out so that he could scold her properly for her outburst and she wasn't looking forward to that. Better not to make it any worse than it was.

"So, Sheena," Igaguri spoke up again, turning back to his granddaughter, "how is Mister Irving lately?"

"Huh?" Sheena had her head bowed, but her gaze shot up again as she heard Lloyd's name mentioned. "Lloyd? What about him?"

"I'm just curious. Is he doing well?"

"Y-yes." Sheena was hesitant as she began to answer, not quite sure where he was going with this. "He's still working on that thing with the Dwarven blacksmithing… he was making an offer on a building in Luin- a previous glassblowing workshop that he's hoping to modify into a forge- but he hasn't heard back from the agent as far as I know."

"Sounds like a worthy endeavor." Igaguri nodded. "And Miss Brunel?"

"She's still teaching at the Meltokio Grammar School. I think she got in trouble recently for spending too much time doing arts and crafts, but all the kids adore her so it's not like she's going anywhere."

"Lovely. And Mister Wilder?"

Sheena turned away with a ' _hmph!'_ "Why would I know what Zelos is up to? I just hear about him from Colette. She says that Seles was really sick a few months back and still hasn't gotten back on her feet, so he's taken a break from their noveling thing and stayed with her more lately. But I haven't the slightest idea what he's been doing otherwise."

"I see. That's a shame. I'll pray for Miss Wilder's recovery, then." Igaguri crossed his arms and nodded his head. "Still, it seems your friends are faring well amidst the current uncertainty. Will they be attending the Unification Picnic in Meltokio?"

"Yes, they will." Sheena nodded.

"Has Mister Irving asked you to accompany him as his date?"

"I-I'm going as the representative for Mizuho!" She blushed as she spluttered a response. "I don't have the time for that sort of thing."

Seeing her sudden embarrassment, Igaguri couldn't help a laugh. "On the contrary, I think it would be good for the two of you to spend some quality time together. You're always so busy, I know it must be hard for the two of you. Enjoy yourselves. De-stress a little. Perhaps discuss your future plans. Everyone in Mizuho is waiting for him with open arms, as soon as he decides to-"

" _G-grandfather!_ " Sheena interrupted him, her face going red. "You know that's the last thing on his mind right now. He has so much he's trying to do, I can't pull him away from that. Besides, the outside world's customs on courtship and marriage aren't… the same as in Mizuho. They tend to _date_ for much longer."

"Yes. Everyone has noticed." Igaguri gave his granddaughter a wink. "Some are starting to wonder if Lloyd has a fear of commitment."

"That's not true! Lloyd is the most committed person I know!" Before she knew what she was doing, Sheena found herself leaning forward, slamming one of her hands on the table. Her grandfather's cup of tea shook, some sloshing out onto the surface. She jerked to sit up straight again and then rose to her feet. "S-sorry. I'll get a cloth and clean it up. Would you like me to make some more tea for you?"

Igaguri watched her, sipping what was left from his cup. "There's no need- for that or for your defense. I'm not impatient, and I fully support Lloyd's endeavors. As the chief, I'm simply voicing some of the concerns of my people, no matter my personal opinion on them."

Sheena had returned with a cloth and was wiping the spilled tea from the table in front of her grandfather. She caught his eye and realized what he was getting at. Once the tabletop was dry, she returned to her seat across the table from him, bowing her head.

"I understand, grandfather. I'll deliver the letter for you and the rest of the village. But, as for Lloyd…" Sheena closed her eyes and sighed. "...he's working so hard on projects outside Mizuho, the idea of suddenly dragging him here makes me feel terrible. You can't live with one foot in Mizuho and one in the outside world."

"Can you?"

"W-well-"

"As our current ambassador to the outside world, you're the one who knows the most about that. Perhaps you should decide that for yourself. Or, better yet, discuss it with him. As much as you're worried about his happiness, I know he's worried about yours. And if marrying him and bringing him to Mizuho would make you happy, then…"

Sheena shook her head. "I wish it were that easy."

Igaguri smiled and pushed the letter across the table to her once again. "As a leader, you've learned about making compromises for the good of everyone involved. But those skills don't have to be saved for large communities. Even relationships between two people require prudent judgement and compromise. I'm sure you can find out the best course of action, both to navigate your future and- if you're so _sure_ about the good in this study- convince both the citizens of Mizuho and the outside world that it's the right thing to do."

Surprised by his words, Sheena jerked her head up to look at him. Tentatively, she took the letter and clasped it reverently in her hands. "...yes. I will."

"That's my girl."

* * *

Raine's clothes were a little too big for Colette, and they hung loosely on her shoulders. Colette didn't mind that, however. She was too upset to think about her clothes, or even the hot cocoa that Genis had tried to offer her. She was sitting in a chair in the corner, her legs curled up against her chest and her head bowed, tears falling from her eyes onto her knees.

Lloyd sat by her side, keeping a hand on her shoulder. It was the first time he'd been in one of the Palmacosta University's research buildings, so he was a little uncomfortable. The stark white hallways and the chemical smell reminded him too much of a hospital, and the thought made his stomach churn. But that's what they were here for, wasn't it? Not to restore some sort of artifact, but to hopefully save a life.

Within a few minutes, the door to Raine's lab opened and the sound of a baby crying filled up the hallway. Colette's head jerked up and she scrambled uneasily to her feet, with Lloyd beside her to steady her.

"Don't freak out," Rained assured her, cradling the infant in one arm and reaching to Colette with the other. "She's crying to get air into her lungs. That's a good sign."

"What was wrong with her?" Lloyd asked, trying to see over Raine's shoulder.

Raine handed the baby over to Colette before turning back to face Lloyd. "Acute tracheal stenosis due to a developmental delay of tracheal rings," she replied. "It's quite common in half-elf infants."

Lloyd didn't miss a beat. "So what was wrong with her?" he repeated, a little more impatient this time.

Genis nudged Lloyd and pointed to his throat. "Her windpipe was too small for her lungs. Raine had to use a spell to increase airflow temporarily while her body grows to compensate."

"So, will she be okay?" Colette asked, clutching the baby close to her chest.

"She'll be fine. The spell I used on her should stay in effect for at least a week, and if her trachea hasn't widened enough by then, it can be cast again." Raine leaned down next to Colette, stroking the infant's cheek. "This is much more common than you'd imagine, especially in half-elves that weren't carried to full term. It usually manifests around four or five weeks of age, so I'd say this little one was probably a preemie. Though, Genis had a mild case when he was that age too, so it can affect even healthy infants."

"I did?"

"It results from the variability of human and elf genetics that are present in half-elves. Humans have a larger lung capacity than elves, so for half-elves it can be a bit of a toss-up." Raine's affectionate expression darkened slightly as she continued. "Though it was well-documented phenomenon, up until a thousand years or so ago no one knew what caused it or how to treat it. It was considered a curse upon half-elves since ancient times, and factored into their oppression…"

"But nowadays you can cure it easily, right? I mean, that didn't take you long at all." Lloyd interrupted, stepping in between Genis and Raine so that he could approach Colette again and get a better view. "I was thinking, y'know, she might've been abandoned because what she had was incurable and she was going to die anyway. But if a cute whatever-you-said is that easy to cure, that can't be the case."

"I don't care right now." Colette leaned down, pressing her face next to the baby's, her voice almost lost in the child's cries. "All that matters is she's okay. She doesn't have to be a sacrifice. No one deserves to be born just to be a sacrifice."

Lloyd, Genis, and Raine exchanged a glance between themselves. They'd all had an inkling as to why Colette was so distraught over the situation, but they weren't going to overtly bring it up. It was satisfying enough to have been able to save the child's life, even if her future was uncertain. Whatever course of action they chose to take, it was clear that Colette wouldn't let any harm come to her.

A commotion from further down the hallway broke up the sentimental atmosphere among the group as they recognized a pair of familiar voices. One was Professor Low, who'd stepped out a few minutes earlier, having received a message that she had a visitor and was required to personally admit him. The other, well… was obviously the _visitor_.

" _Colette? Colette! Are you okay? I heard there was an emergency- what happened_?"

Genis groaned. "Colette, you radioed Zelos? We told you, we had this under control-"

Lloyd slapped a hand over Genis' mouth, whispering in his ear " _She was upset! Of course she radioed for Zelos! Don't make this worse, okay?_ "

Thankfully, Zelos hadn't heard the conversation. He was too busy approaching Colette, looking her over for injury at first, and _then_ noticing the crying infant in her arms. "What the-? Whose kid is this?"

"W-we don't know." Colette shook her head. "She must've been kidnapped. We found her abandoned, all alone, near the Great Tree-"

Professor Low broke in, adjusting her glasses as she spoke. "This wasn't just a case of abandonment. All the evidence points to attempted infanticide. And there's no way of knowing whether it was…" Her voice lowered as she continued. "... _racially_ motivated."

"Have you filed a report?" Zelos asked. "If she was kidnapped, she has to have been reported missing somewhere. I'm sure every half-elf rights group would go all-out if they heard a baby had been kidnapped."

"We're working on it," Raine replied. "She was suffering from a rather advanced case of tracheal stenosis, so our first goal was to clear her airway. Even with the right care and environment, she probably wouldn't have lasted another day if that problem wasn't treated."

"So what'll happen to her until we can find her family?" Lloyd asked. "Who's going to take care of her?"

"If there isn't anyone to care for her, she'll have to be turned over to law enforcement as a ward of the state," Professor Low replied with a frown. "I hate it, but I'm just too busy to take her in myself, and I know Raine and Genis must be as well-"

"I'll take her!"

By the time Professor Low got through half of her sentence, Colette had already raised one hand. Zelos, however, was taken by surprise.

"Wait a minute. You'll do _what_ now?"

"I have to," Colette answered firmly. "I want to. I can't leave her by herself. I want to personally make sure she's okay and returns safely to the people who love her."

Lloyd gave Colette an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "I think that's a great thing to do, Colette! I support you!"

"N-no, no…" Zelos stepped in between them, waving his arms. "Can we, uh, talk about this? I know you feel strongly about this kid, but taking in a baby all of a sudden isn't something we can just… _do_. That's not something _I_ can do. Especially not right now-"

"But I have to!" Colette protested, taking a step back and shielding the infant in her arms. "I can't just leave Adora with some total strangers. She need someone who cares about her!"

Zelos' eye twitched. "Who is _Adora_? Don't tell me you gave her some random name-"

"It's not random! That's what was written on her box!"

"The box she was _buried_ in?"

"W-well, if we don't know her real name, then-"

Genis cleared his throat. "As I said before, the word _adora_ probably refers to the verb _adorare,_ in reference to the worship of the goddess Mar-"

"How can you be so dismissive, Zelos? Can't you see how important this is to Colette?" Lloyd sent a shove in Zelos' direction. "If you love her, you've gotta support her!"

"Don't _shove_ me!" Zelos knocked him back. "I _am_ supporting her! I don't want her to make a mistake and get in over her head!"

"That's _not_ supporting her! That's _controlling_ her!"

In the meantime, Professor Low leaned over toward Genis, placing a hand on his shoulder. "That box you mentioned may be our best bet if we're looking for clues as to who did this. Would you be able to fly a rheiard back over to the tree and retrieve the box? The police will want it, but Raine and I are too busy to get there."

"Of course." Genis nodded. "I'll go once the others leave…" He glanced over at where Lloyd and Zelos were still arguing. "...hopefully."

"Colette works with kids all day! That's her _job_! How could she be getting in over her head-?"

"She works with _ten-year-olds_ , Lloyd. Not _newborns._ Do you have any idea how much work that is?"

"No, but I-"

"NO, you don't! You have no idea the kind of-" "Colette is a hard worker, so I know she'll-" "-effort that goes into caring for small children! You can't-" "-be willing to put in all the work it takes to-" "-just jump into this without a second-" "-make sure that Adora is safe and happy-" "-thought toward your own abilities-"

"STOP! IT! BOTH! OF! YOU!"

Colette slammed her heel down on Zelos' foot first and then Lloyd's. They both flinched and staggered backwards, silenced by her sudden outburst.

"My decisions are _mine_ to make! Not anyone else's! _Zelos,_ I know what I'm getting into and I'm not going to let someone else's reservations keep me from doing what I believe is the right thing! And I can make that clear on my own, so _Lloyd,_ you don't have to defend me like I'm not even here!" She turned her back on them, stepping away a short distance. "I'll take care of Adora and I'll do it by myself."

"C-Colette…" Zelos began hesitantly. "...do you at least know how to take care of a newborn baby?"

"I-" she began, twirling back around on her heels to address them, "-will get someone to teach me!"

Zelos sighed. "You're really set on this, huh? Well, the little tyke is probably hungry. Don't you want to stop and get some breakfast before you go off seeking parenting wisdom? Or-" He stopped and glanced down at his pocket watch. "- _brunch_ , I guess, since it's a little late for breakfast-"

"Late for breakfast?" Lloyd repeated, cutting him off. " _Late._ For _breakfast_. I'm late for breakfast! I'm really sorry Colette! I'll check on you and Adora later!"

He was putting his coat back on and scrambling out the door before anyone could ask him what was wrong. Zelos groaned, turning away and motioning for Colette to follow him.

"That idiot's always running off somewhere, isn't he? Ah, well… Colette, are you coming? I can find you some people in Meltokio who can teach you everything there is to know about baby care-"

"Sorry, Zelos, but I'm going to do this on my own." Colette shook her head. "I appreciate your help and I apologize for stepping on your foot. But I need to learn to find help by myself. And I already know _exactly_ who I'm going to ask."


	3. Chapter 3

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 98:  
** _Cha mhisd_ _' a' ghealach na coin a bhith comhartaich rithe_.  
The moon is none the worse for the dogs' barking at her.

 **3-**

It was still raining when Genis returned to Palmacosta, only adding to his frustration and confusion. In their panic to get the infant medical help, they hadn't even thought to bring the box with them. And when he'd returned for it- _gone_. It had been moved somehow, but no matter where he looked around the tree, he couldn't find it. Someone had to have taken it, and it very well could have been the people who'd abandoned her there in the first place. If they knew that she was alive, or at least that her body had been moved from whatever ritual spot they'd selected, they were probably out to make things "right" again. And that thought was terrifying.

He tried to tell himself that there was nothing special about that baby, and therefore no danger to Colette. Really, when he and Raine had examined her, she seemed a perfectly healthy- _y'know, outside of the life-threatening respiratory disorder_ \- half-elf baby. Whatever religious cult might've done this, they'd just seek out another baby for their purposes. But… that wasn't a comforting thought either. It wasn't fair to trade another baby's life for this one. Especially if they were specifically targeting half-elves. Genis just couldn't stand it. He was going through ideas in his head, things he could propose to Professor Low that law enforcement could do instead, but…

As he passed by the marina, however, he noticed a child sitting out by the docks, under one of the canopies. It was strange, considering that the streets were mostly empty on a rainy day like today, but the figure wouldn't have drawn his attention quite so much if he hadn't recognized her. He'd know those long, strawberry-colored locks anywhere.

"Bianca? What are you doing here? Why aren't you in school?"

The girl let out a tiny squeal at the sound of his voice, her head whipping around in surprise. "G-Genis? I'm not skipping class, I swear! We, uh, were allowed to leave early today. It was a half-day."

Genis raised an eyebrow. He knew it was a bank holiday in Meltokio, but there was no such designation here in Palmacosta. "A half-day? On a Tuesday?"

"Um, well…" Bianca's eyes were flitting around, trying to avoid looking anywhere but at Genis. "...yeah."

Seeing that she wasn't relenting so easily, he sighed and knelt down beside her. "So if I go to the Palmacosta Academy and knock on your classroom door, no one will be there, right? Because school's out for the day?"

Her eyes widened a little at the sound of this. "Er, that's…"

"Or was that bit about school ending early a lie just now?"

A moment passed filled with nothing but the sound of the rain against the canopy overhead. Bianca clutched at her skirt. "...p-please don't make me go back to class today," she finally whispered. "And _please_ don't tell Nika."

Genis glanced around uneasily, then sat down beside Bianca, leaning over so that he could speak to her on eye level. "Did something happen?"

"It's nothing bad. You don't have to-"

"Hey, hey." Genis reached out and nudged her cheek. "If you don't tell someone, nothing's going to get better. I know you hate to miss school. What's up?"

Bianca kept her face turned away. "Th-they…" she began in a timid voice. "...they called me a _quarter_."

Genis frowned. If that was an insult, it was one he hadn't heard before. "A what?"

"The other kids. At school. The half-elf kids I play with. We were talking about genetics and stuff, and they found out that my dad was a human. So that makes me… _not_ a half-elf. It makes me a _quarter_."

" _Oh._ " Genis froze for a minute. "And they said this to hurt your feelings? As if to say you're not a _real_ half-elf?"

Bianca nodded. "I didn't choose who my parents were. It's not my fault. But now they won't stop… they're being so mean…"

"You need to tell Nika."

"No."

"She's your sister. She'll understand."

"No, she won't!" Bianca shook her head. "She can't understand! _Her_ dad was a half-elf!"

"You…" Genis had to stop to compose himself. He didn't want to yell at her, now of all times. But the sentiment she was expressing showed how little she really knew about what it meant to be a half-elf. She was only a kid, after all, and had been just a toddler when the worlds were reunited. She couldn't remember anything else. "...you know, I was teased when I was a kid too."

"You were?" Bianca's head jerked around, her expression suddenly wide-eyed. "But you're cool!"

"Heheh, thanks. But when I was a kid, people didn't like half-elves. Raine and I had to pretend to be pure-blooded elves so that we'd be safe. 'Cause once our village found out that we were half-elves, we got kicked out. They hated us because of our blood."

Bianca froze. "They kicked you out?"

"Well, not forever. You know Iselia, where Colette's family lives? That's where I grew up." Genis shrugged his shoulders, turning to look back out at the boats docked at the marina. "They hated half-elves, but for a reason. A lot of half-elves did some bad things to the people of that area. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right, but they were scared, and that fear manifested into hatred."

Bianca leaned closer, resting her head against Genis' arm and closing her eyes. "I don't understand."

"It's hard to understand. I hope you never have to."

"Nika said that Tethe'allan half-elves used to be forced to work. That's why she never got to go to school."

"Exactly." Genis looped an arm around Bianca's shoulders. "And that's why she wants to make sure you get a good education. She'd be sad if she heard you were letting some mean people get in between you and your dreams. _No one_ can make you worth any less by talking bad about you. You are _you_ , no matter what your blood is. So don't let those jerks get you down, okay?"

There was a moment's pause, and Bianca wrapped her arms around Genis' waist, burying her head in his chest. "Thank you, Genis. I'll go back to class now."

"Here. Let me walk you there. I'm going to the university, so it's on my way. We can stop by the bakery and get something yummy- how about that?"

"But then Nika will know I skipped!"

"It's better if _you_ tell her than if the _school_ tells her, isn't it?"

"...that's true…"

The two stood up again, Genis reaching down to take Bianca's hand. Her school uniform was wet from the rain, so he removed his own jacket and placed it over her shoulders, helping her button it since the sleeves dwarfed her arms. On her it was practically a dress, but at least it would keep her dry. They started down the empty streets quietly, both only focused on avoiding puddles and keeping each other's hand clasped tightly in theirs.

They didn't see another person for 3 blocks, but when they finally did, she took them by surprise. It was a young woman in an apron, the edges of her dress soiled with sandy water and her watermelon-patterned umbrella doing little to keep her dry. Her face was flushed almost as red as her hair, and she skidded to a stop as soon as she saw the other two.

"B-Bianca!"

"Nika!" Bianca let go of Genis' hand and ran to her sister, throwing her arms around Nika's legs and bursting into tears. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I won't ever run away from school again, I promise-"

Nika had dropped her umbrella and knelt down so that she could scold Bianca properly. "Your teacher contacted me when they realized you hadn't come back from lunch. I've been worried sick about you? What do you think you're doing-"

"Nika-" Genis stepped in, picking up her umbrella and holding it over the two. "-don't scold her too harshly. After school today, you two should talk. I think she has some things she needs to tell you."

"Is that right?" Nika's expression softened, and she reached out to wipe away Bianca's tears. "Well, I suppose that's alright. But only if you go right back to school. Okay?"

"Yes! Okay!"

Nika stood up and Genis handed her the umbrella. Their hands brushed together as he did so, and he found his face turning red. "I-I, uh, can walk her back to school," he stammered. "That way you can go back to work."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, o-of course! I'm headed that direction anyway, so, uh…" He scratched the back of his head, trying to steady himself. "...I'll tell them there was a family emergency. Since she's only been gone for an hour and a half, they'll probably excuse the absence and it won't mess up her perfect attendance record. And I can pick her up tonight after clubs if you need to work extra to make up for this."

"Oh, Genis, you're too good to us." An affectionate smile spread over Nika's face and she leaned in to kiss his cheek, seemingly ignoring what a vibrant red his face turned as she did so. "At least let me make it up to you. Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?"

"Actually," Genis began, "I'd planned a nice dinner for Raine and me tonight, but she told me this morning that she'll be working late _again_. So, uh, I've got extra cream stew ingredients if anyone wants some. You'd be doing me a favor, honestly, since it's so lonely without Raine around…"

"Cream stew!" Bianca cheered. "Genis, you make the best cream stew! Can we go, Nika? Can we please?"

"Well, if Genis insists…"

"I insist!"

Nika laughed. "Alright, then. Sounds like we've got ourselves dinner plans. If you'll pick up Bianca from school, I'll come to your apartment once I finish work."

"I-I'm looking forward to it!" Genis responded with an enthusiastic nod.

The three turned back down the street, continuing a short distance while the route to the school coincided with Nika's route back to the bakery. They had almost reached the side street where she was to turn off, when a loud noise from somewhere in the distance caught their attention. It was a loud boom, a crashing noise, followed by a commotion of people yelling. Nika grabbed her sister by the shoulders, holding her close.

"Wh-what was that?"

"I don't know," Genis answered, "but it sounded like it came from the university-"

Another series of booms exploded through the air, this time sounding closer. Bianca screamed and Nika dropped the umbrella to scoop her up in her arms, ready to flee in any direction if needed. Genis started running through the rain toward the university.

"You two get somewhere safe! I'll go see what's going on-"

"No! I won't let you go alone!" Nika shifted Bianca's weight to one arm, freeing the other to grab the umbrella as she chased Genis. "We don't know what's going on!"

Nika wasn't the kind of person Genis wanted to argue with, so he simply nodded and ran on. By a few minutes later when they rounded the curve toward the school building, however, they were stopped by a pair of police officers who blocked their way.

"Where are you going?" one asked, holding a hand up.

"We're taking my sister to the Palmacosta Academy," Nika replied, gesturing with her umbrella. "There was a family issue and she's late for afternoon classes. Please, if we could just-"

"Both the Palmacosta Academy and the University have been placed on lockdown. No one is to be allowed in or out until the threat clears."

"Threat?" Genis asked.

"Several bombs were placed in the vicinity of the university's research facilities. We don't know who placed them or why, but the city has asked that citizens take shelter and stay inside their homes or businesses until an all clear has been issued.

Genis choked. "B-b-but… my _sister_ was there! She works at the university! I need to know if she's okay-"

"I'm sorry, sir, but orders are orders. Please return to the nearest safe place and stay there until you hear otherwise. Updates will be broadcast via radio, so-"

"NO! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! MY SISTER IS-"

Nika reached out and stopped him with the umbrella. "Genis, please! There's nothing we can do now. Your apartment is just around the corner- let's go there for the time being and keep an eye on what's happening."

"I'll be happy to escort you," one of the police began, but Nika shook her head.

"Thanks, but we'll be okay. You focus on helping the people who need you."

* * *

"Here. It's th' porridge I trysted ye."

Rushing back to Dirk's house in the rain had been a less-than-fun experience, and Lloyd had been ready for a nice hot meal when he arrived. Unfortunately, he'd long since missed the time for a hot meal, and was met instead with something less than appetizing. Noishe was curled up around the legs of the chair, not even interested in begging. Lloyd looked down at the bowl in front of him and poked his spoon at it, frowning in disgust. "It's, uh, cold. And solid."

"That's th' way Dwarves used tae eat it oan joorneys ben unexplored cave systems. It's fillin' an' keeps for a lang time." Dirk sat down at the table across from him, keeping the stern frown that he held whenever he was making an effort not to scold Lloyd when he _really deserved_ a scolding. "An' I expect ye to eat it aw. Dwarven Vow 107-"

"Yes, yes, _willful waste makes woeful want_." Lloyd sighed and used his spoon to scoop up a bite of the soft oat cake. "I meant to be back in time, I swear-"

"Aye, an' I believe ye. That story was way tae convoluted fur ye to hae gart up. But nae matter the circumstances, a promise is a promise. That's the Dwarven tradition, and that's nae somethin' ye can jist excuse away." Dirk sighed and slid the paper across the table in Lloyd's direction. "But that's nae whit we're haur tae talk about. _This_ is whit we're talkin' about."

Lloyd swallowed another spoonful of porridge with a nod of his head. It wasn't quite so bad if you weren't expecting something warm. "Yeah, that's it! I just realized, I never got to tell Colette and Genis the good news. I wasn't sure if my offer would be accepted, so it was such a relief to hear back! It's going to be such a great place-"

"An' yoo're really certain ye hae th' funds fur this?" Dirk interrupted.

"Well, _yeah_. When I started saving, I had been aiming for a boat. But as it turns out, a building is actually not as expensive as-"

"I'm nae jist talkin' about the building. Glassblowin' an' blacksmithin' aren't e'en in the same ballpark. It woods take some major renovations tae convert this intae a proper Dwarven style forge- an' it's aw abovegroond, sae it woods ne'er fit aw the specifications nae matter what ye dae. It woods be a huge cost in time, labor, and money, and yoo'd only be gettin' _close_ tae th' real 'hin raither than actually makin' it." Dirk closed his eyes and sighed. "This is too ambitious, e'en fur ye."

"Come on, Dad, you can't be serious." Lloyd shook his head, leaning forward in his chair. "I really mean business about this! Dwarves are no longer interacting with the surface world the way they once did. If this keeps up, everyone on the surface will lose Dwarven crafts and culture. The Dwarven legacy is part of my _heritage_! I can't let it die out."

Lloyd rose to his feet halfway through his speech, waiting to see what his father would say. He was waiting for a resigned sigh, a proud smile, and a slap on the back praising his determination to the cause. But Dirk's response was more of a dismissive snort than anything else.

"Huh. An' ye say that like ye 'hink yoo'd be daein' a favor tae Dwarvenkind. As if keepin' Dwarven culture alive on th' surface somehaw _saves_ it? Dwarven culture is alive an' weel whaur it _belongs_ \- undergroond wi' th' Dwarven civilization."

Lloyd had to stop and contemplate this answer for a moment. "But, Dad… you've been teaching me the Dwarven language, and training me in Dwarven blacksmithing… why would you do that if you don't think it belongs with humans?"

"Because you're my son!" The answer came out more forcefully than Dirk had intended, prompting Noishe to sit up abruptly. Dirk cleared his throat, glancing away. "Where I come frae, a Dwarven smith has an obligation in passin' doon his knowledge. Dwarven parents teach th' the craft tae their children, who 'en have the responsibility ay passin' it doon tae the next generation, and sae oan. I learned th' craft frae my father, who learned frae his mither, who learned frae her mither, and sae on."

Lloyd was silent for a moment. "...and now you're… teaching me…"

"Ye are my son, Lloyd. My eldest- an' _only_ \- child. Th' knowledge handed tae me frae my faither is somethin' I gie only tae ye, _especially_ tae ye. It is the gift I gie ye as a faither, an' a gift that I ask ye tae pass oan tae your ain children."

"But I don't have any children-" Lloyd began awkwardly, but stopped himself as he realized that Dirk was just talking about the future. Yeah, the future. Kids would be nice, wouldn't they? "-I mean… but wouldn't you be excited to think that the skills from your father could be shared with even _more_ people?"

"Lloyd, yoo're nae gettin' it." Dirk reached his arms across the table, setting them on Lloyd's shoulders. "I pass that knowledge oan tae ye as a gift because I _love_ ye. It is my expression ay trust in ye. Dwarven smithin' isnae jist a craft, it is somethin' that Dwarves pit their souls intae. The thought ay openin' apprenticeships tae anyone curious enough tae walk intae your forge _isn't whit it's about_."

"D-Dad…" Lloyd's face fell. "But I… I thought… by sharing this with people, I could…" He stopped and his voice trailed off, waiting for Dirk to interrupt him. But Dirk didn't say anything, and Lloyd had to look up again to confirm the expectant expression on his face.

"Aye? Ye could _what_?"

"W-well, I…" It was no use. He knew what he wanted deep in his mind, but the words wouldn't come to his head, and now his intentions were all jumbled. "...I don't know. I mean, I _know_ , but… I just can't put it into words for some reason. I guess I sound pretty stupid now, huh?"

"Nae. I'm curious tae know what's goin' oan in yer mind."

"Huh? Really?" Lloyd perked up. There was a hint of a smile on Dirk's face now- or was he just imagining it? "But if you won't agree to help with training, there's no way I can pull this off."

Dirk sat back in his chair, shaking his head. "Nae necessarily. I won't stop trainin' ye jist because ay this. Ye could tak' yer ain knowledge an' gie it out recklessly tae others. I won't approve, but I won't stop ye."

"That's not good enough! I want you to be a part of this, Dad." Lloyd stood up pushing his now empty porridge bowl across the table. "I want us to do this _together_. If not, then…" He let the sentence drop off there. It felt wrong, suggesting that he'd withdraw his offer on the property after all the worrying he'd spent trying to get it. But without Dirk, it was meaningless.

Dirk, however, seemed to be contemplating it. Or maybe he was falling asleep. Lloyd could never tell. But he opened his eyes again, a glint in them that hadn't been there before.

"Well, then. I still hae my doubts, but yoo've piqued my curiosity. I want tae know just whit it is about people 'at makes ye want tae take any and aw apprentices, nae matter their relation tae ye. Whit dae ye hope to give and whit dae ye hope to gain? Think about it, an' then tell me."

Lloyd stiffened. "R-really?"

With a smile, Dirk handed the letter back to Lloyd, waiting for him to take it to speak up again.

"The deadline fur ye tae confirm yer offer is tomorrow night. Dae it an' get back tae me. If ye feel _that_ strongly abit this, then ye must be seein' it in a lecht that I haven't. Think about it like a Dwarf. Convince me."

Lloyd clutched the letter to his chest, suddenly burning with a new determination. "I-I will! I'll convince you so well that you'll be begging to come and teach! I won't back down, I promise."

"Aye. See that ye dorn't." Dirk winked at him. "Cause if there's anythin' a Dwarf _ne'er_ daes, it's back down."


	4. Chapter 4

I apologize for the late chapter! As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 26:  
** _Cha sgeul-r_ _úin e 's fios aig triúir air.  
_ It's not a secret if three know it.

 **4-**

Despite the drizzle in Luin, there were various people out and about in the marketplace. Colette strolled through, glancing at the wares, but she had no idea what she was looking for, and decided instead to go straight for help from someone who would.

The front garden of the little red house at the corner of 4th Street and Eason Street was well-maintained, with a lovely row of bushes and flowers that added color to even the dreariest days- a total contrast from Lloyd's plain home just a few houses down. But, for all the pleasantness of the garden, this dreary morning found it anything but peaceful.

There was a swordsman and a swordswoman at odds with one another, dressed in civilian clothes but fighting with weapons that looked _very real_. The man, slightly younger but just as steady on his feet, was making advances while the woman blocked them. He was talented, but no matter how he tried to find an opening, she was too fast, anticipating his every attack. It was as if he were fighting a robot, her moves were so precise and rehearsed.

As Colette approached, she heard a third voice say " _Stop. Good. Now defense_." At the cue, it was no longer the young man pursuing the woman, but vice versa. He did well to block her attacks up until a point where she struck from above. He went for a counter-blow, but found himself slipping up, allowing his opponent the perfect angle to-

" _Freeze. Right there_."

Colette had shut her eyes, seeing where the movement was headed, but the two fighters were stopped before anything became serious. Kratos stepped in between them, focusing his attention on the young man as he continued his instructions.

"Do you know what you did wrong?"

"Y-yes, I…" the young man began to stammer a response. "...the angle was-"

Kratos didn't let him finish. "First of all, _posture_. Straighten your back. Bend your elbows more. You're too stiff. Watch how Anna does it."

Anna took a step back, mimicking her opponent's movements but with a smoother style.

"R-right." The young man nodded. "I'll work on that."

"As for the angle," Kratos continued, "you're right. The way you held the sword then, you were leaving yourself open to a strike from the shoulder. You need to keep a lower angle, otherwise it's easier to get in-between. Try it again, this time with everything in mind."

"Yes, Captain!"

The match proceeded again from where it had left off, Anna attempting the same strike. However, this time her opponent was able to block it effectively, the sharp sound of the two swords meeting ringing out through the air.

Adora, who'd been peacefully sleeping in Colette's arms, was suddenly jolted awake by the noise and began to cry. The sound pulled all the attention to Colette, who no one had noticed standing on the other side of the fence until that moment.

"Oh! H-hello!" Colette waved, bouncing up and down a little in an attempt to soothe Adora's cries. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to interrupt. I just… came to see if Miss Anna was home…"

"Colette!" Anna chimed, sheathing her sword and running over to the fence with a big smile on her face. "You're always welcome! We've been at it since this morning, so it's time we finished up anyway. And who is this? What a cutie!"

"This is Adora." Colette moved so that Anna could get a better look, still rocking back and forth on her toes. "I'm, uh, babysitting her for a while, but I'm not totally sure of what I should be doing. I was hoping you could help me."

A look of giddy excitement passed over Anna's face, and she leaned over the fence as she replied. "You've come to the _right person_ , Colette! I'll teach you everything!"

Anna reached over the fence and took the still-crying infant from Colette's arms. Within a few seconds, she had managed to both quell Adora's tears, eliciting a surprised coo instead. Colette was in awe as she watched Anna turn back toward the house.

"C'mon, Colette!"

As Colette walked around to the garden gate, Kratos began apologising to his student for the abrupt end, giving some last pieces of advice. She would've paid the conversation no mind, but the student interrupted Kratos with a plea.

"Captain, I don't understand! Anna is still so far ahead of me in every way, it's not fair for you to make her step down as platoon leader just because of a little flu-"

"The decision has already been made," Kratos interrupted. "You're a skilled soldier, limited only by your own insecurities. Anna is glad to be a part of a platoon under your leadership and she aims to serve you well. As the leader, you must do the same."

"But it's not right! Not when she's clearly superior to me in-"

"That's enough. If you're hung up on this, everyone else will continue to be unhappy as well."

"They _should!_ This isn't-"

"I am the captain and I make the decisions. I made you the platoon leader because I know you are capable. _Act like it._ "

Colette had been standing behind the front door, unable to leave the conversation but not wanting them to realise she was eavesdropping. _Kratos replaced Miss Anna as her platoon leader? Why?_ She let the door close as quietly as possible and headed toward the kitchen, where the sound of Anna working with pots and pans was audible.

"Um, Miss Anna…?"

"Hey, Colette!" Anna chirped. She was doing exceptionally well for someone holding a baby in one arm and trying to juggle kitchen appliances with the other. "Did Adora's parents leave you with any specific baby formula? I don't have anything like that right now, so I'm just heating up some milk for her. I've also got the kettle on for some tea. It's ginger root- would you like some? Or how about something for lunch? I'm starving!"

Anna's enthusiasm brought a smile to Colette's face. She was so much like Lloyd, the way she tried to keep a cheerful attitude despite what was going on. Colette couldn't bring herself to ask about the earlier conversation.

"No thank you on the tea. But I'd love something to eat- I never did get breakfast this morning."

Anna chuckled. "That makes two of us. Here, I'll warm up some of the stew we ate last night. Take Adora, will you? She likes grabbing at things, so play with her some. She's learning a lot at this age."

"Of course…" Colette accepted the infant, rocking her back and forth again and placing her hand in front of her to distract her. "Why didn't you eat breakfast? You were training today, and Lloyd says it's important not to fight on an empty stomach."

"That's true, but an empty stomach was what I needed this time," Anna answered with a laugh, firing up another burner on the stove. "I didn't want to get sick all over my new platoon leader. That wouldn't be a great way to start off his new leadership, would it?"

Colette looked up in surprise. "You still have the flu? But Lloyd said you were feeling better! Genis made you some chicken soup, and I made a get-well charm, but Lloyd seemed convinced you were okay."

"Lloyd is very… _excitable_ ," was Anna's answer. "I don't need him worrying about me while he's so busy with other things. It's better just to say I'm alright and leave it at that."

"I see." Colette frowned, looking back down at Adora who was now reaching for her hair. "Is that, uh… why Kratos made you step down as platoon leader?"

Anna placed the lid on the pot and turned to pour herself a cup of tea. "Kratos didn't make me do anything, much as people might believe otherwise. It was my decision."

"But you're such a good fighter-"

"A leader isn't necessarily the best fighter in the group," Anna interrupted, cutting her off and gesturing back into the living room. "To be a leader, you need to be the one willing to work hard and stay clear-headed in the midst of difficulties. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, it does." Colette nodded, sitting down on the sofa. Bending over like that allowed the ends of her hair to fall into Adora's reach, and she grasped a handful of blonde locks, immediately shoving them into her mouth. Colette gasped in realization as she thought back to the milk warming on the stove. "Um, do we have a bottle or something we can use to feed her?"

"A bottle! That's right! We don't have anything like that!" Anna gasped, jumping to her feet again. "Um, um, um… oh! Mrs. Dalben across the street has a two-year-old! I'll bet she has one we can borrow!"

As she scrambled out the front door, she passed by Kratos. He didn't question her, he simply sighed and walked over to sit on the couch beside Colette. "I'm sorry about her. She's been cooped up in the house recently, so suddenly having something to do is making her go overboard. I mean, not that she doesn't go overboard on everything anyway…"

"It's okay," Colette giggled, trying to pull her hair out of Adora's grip. Every time she did so, the baby reached up and grabbed it again, so Colette finally resigned herself to using her hair as a toy, dangling a handful in front of Adora and then pulling it away as she reached for it. "She said she was still sick, but it seems like she has her energy back. I guess that's why Lloyd isn't worried."

Kratos didn't reply to that statement. Instead, he leaned over to get a better look at Adora. "I only caught a little of your conversation. You're babysitting, right? Babysitting for who?"

"U-um…" Colette struggled to think up an answer. "It's for a friend of Zelos'. In Meltokio."

"A friend of _Zelos_ '?" Kratos replied, clearly skeptical "With a _half-elf_ baby?"

Colette stiffened. "Um… _yes_?"

"I see." Kratos reached out, his expression still unconvinced. "May I?"

"Hold her? Sure!"

Honestly, Colette was surprised to see how gently Kratos handled Adora. His motions were so smooth, so much more confident in his handling than she was. He really did have parenting experience, didn't he? Perhaps it was him, rather than Anna, that she should've asked for advice first. She took a deep breath, about to explain the full situation to him, but he cut her off before she had the chance to speak.

"She has beautiful eyes."

Colette looked up in surprise. "I thought so too! There's such a rich blue color-"

"Fringed blue," Kratos interrupted.

"Huh?"

"That's the term for the coloration. It's a recessive trait specific to half-elves, where there's yellow pigment only around the edges of the iris. Rather than turning the eyes green, it just deepens the blue color. But I didn't know the trait was still around. I haven't seen it in hundreds of years except for…" He stopped, his voice trailing off. "Well, it's safe to say that I thought the trait had died out."

"Did you know someone who had it?" Colette asked.

Kratos was busy waving his fingers in front of Adora, allowing her to reach for them and clench her fists around them in amusement. He spoke, but it was almost an absentminded mumble. "Mithos. Funnily enough, that was the only complimentary thing Yuan would say to Mithos' face."

"That he had nice eyes?"

"Yes. That Mithos' fringed-blue eyes reminded Yuan of his grandmother, and he liked that." Kratos closed his eyes and chuckled. "Yuan would be glad to know that the trait is making a comeback, if I could only get the chance to talk to him."

"The chance to-?"

" _Got it! I got it!_ " Anna burst in the front door, holding up a pair of bottles in her hands. "I got two of them! We'll see which one Adora likes best, okay? No need to get up- I'll get the milk!"

Kratos and Colette watched Anna run to the kitchen, and could hear her yelp and start shuffling with cutlery as the sound of something hissing and bubbling on the stove took over. A few more surprised squeals and a hissed " _ow! hot!_ " from Anna elicited a groan from Kratos and he handed Adora back over to Colette so that he could get up.

"I'm coming!" he called into the kitchen, leaving the couch behind.

Colette hadn't gotten the chance to ask about Yuan, and in a way it felt like her opportunity had passed. She glanced down at Adora with a sigh.

"I guess everyone has problems going on right now, huh?"

Adora didn't answer, just watching Colette with a blank expression, but part of Colette felt like the little girl understood her. She leaned back on the couch, but perked up again as she heard Kratos raising his voice from the kitchen. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she tiptoed over to the door so that she could listen in.

"-haven't you told him that it was _your_ initial decision to step down and not mine?"

" _Yes,_ I have," Anna shot back. "But it doesn't make any difference. All Bryan sees is you condoning unfair treatment. We might as well tell him the truth."

Kratos' response was understanding but firm. "I'd rather not announce it to everyone until you go on full leave. It'd be a distraction, and with the contract work we have coming up in Meltokio, I can't have that."

"Sure, but Bryan should know, at least to make him understand-"

"Bryan needs to rely on his own confidence as a leader. He needs to know that this decision was made because of _his_ abilities as a fighter, not _your_ lack thereof-"

The sound of a glass hitting the countertop cut Kratos off. " _Lack thereof?_ " Anna spat. "What's _that_ supposed to mean? Remember the time I took out five Desians with nothing but a shovel when I was eight months pregnant with Lloyd? There is no _lack thereof_ happening here."

"Th-th-that's not what I meant!" Kratos stammered. "I'm just saying that his self-esteem is already pretty rocky. Telling him that he's just a stand-in leader for a maternity leave won't exactly help that-"

Anna held up a hand to cut him off, and Colette suddenly realized why. She'd been inching closer and closer to the opened doorway, so by now she must be in plain view. Her cheeks flushed and she took a step into the kitchen to face them, her mind buzzing as she watched the realization cross their faces that she _knew_.

 _Well, no use in beating around the bush by this point._

"Miss Anna? You're pregnant?"

Kratos was the first one to answer, approaching Colette with one hand outstretched. "Not a word to Lloyd," he commanded. "Not to _anyone_ , really, but Lloyd especially."

Colette frowned. Adora was starting to squirm in her arms, and she wasn't sure how to handle that. "What do you mean, don't tell Lloyd? This means Lloyd is going to be a big brother, right? He'll be so excited!"

"Right." Kratos answered. "He will. And much as we love him, that's exactly what we don't need in this situation."

"But-"

"Kratos wants to keep things quiet for a little while," Anna interrupted, forcing a smile. "And I don't blame him for that. The thing is, Lloyd's not very good at keeping secrets. So we know that, once we tell Lloyd, the _whole world_ is going to know. So until we- until _Kratos_ \- is ready to announce it to the whole world, we'll just have to… keep it a surprise from Lloyd. Okay?"

"But-"

"You make it sound like I'm being unreasonable when you say it like that," Kratos broke in, addressing Anna this time.

"What? No, that's not it at all! I just meant that you're the one who-"

"If you _really_ want to tell him, you should say something. I'd never force you into silence-"

"No! You're not at all! I totally understand your insecurities-"

" _Insecurities_? This is a totally rational cautiousness for someone in our position-"

Colette took a step back. This wasn't her place, her home, her argument, and yet it felt like, if she didn't do something, things were going to get out of hand. Adora could hear the arguing and was growing restless, whining and squirming in Colette's arms.

And then the doorbell rang.

The silence that followed was a welcome relief as Anna and Kratos looked at one another, realizing what they'd been doing. Anna's face flushed and she scurried toward the front door before anyone else could, handing Colette the warm bottle of milk on the way.

"I'll get it."

Colette watched Anna go until she realized that Adora had recognized the bottle and was straining to get to it. She held it up for the infant to drink, and turned back to Kratos who'd stepped closer.

"I'm really sorry, Colette. We didn't mean for you to get wrapped up in this."

"Of course not. _I'm_ the one who was eavesdropping. It's all my fault."

"Well, it's not like we were being quiet-"

Before they could say anything more, the front door opened and they could hear a voice calling out from the porch.

"ANNA, DARLING! So good to see you- you look positively radiant today! Your skin is practically glowing. Are you using a new moisturizer? You've gotta give me a recommendation, please-"

At the sound of the voice, Kratos had groaned to himself with a mumbled " _for the love of god_ " and stepped back out to the main room. Amidst the chaos, he had to yell to get a word in edgewise.

"Yuan's not here. Go home, Song."

Colette followed Kratos to see Anna welcoming their guest. It was a lanky half-elf man, his rough, unshaven look a contrast to the youthful glint in his eyes. He ignored Kratos' statement, choosing instead to offer a hug in greeting.

"That's my bro-cicle! Cold as ever, eh, Kratos?"

Kratos didn't return the gesture. "I told you, Yuan's not here. Please leave us alone- we have a guest."

"Oh! I'm sorry! How rude of me!" Song twirled around to face Colette, offering a hand to shake, but then retracting it as he realized that her hands were occupied. "The name's Song Lu, master ceramics artisan from Yuan and Song Ceramics, Meltokio. It's a pleasure to meet such a lovely young lady- and who's this precious sugarplum you have with you?"

"Th-this is Adora, and I-"

" _Adora_! What a gorgeous name! That's one of my all-time favorites, you know!"

"I see…" Colette could barely stammer a reply, unsure of how far she'd get. "Wait, did you say _Yuan and Song Ceramics_? You're Yuan's business partner?"

"Sure am!" Song looped an arm around Colette's shoulder and led her toward the sofa so that they could sit. "Business partner and best friend in the whole world! Er, besides Kratos here, but that's a first-come-first-served kinda deal. Still, it's an honor to be so high up on the list. He's a great guy, Yuan."

"I, uh, didn't realize Yuan was much of an artist," Colette tried to smile, still overwhelmed by all the information.

"Oh, he's not. He works all the day-to-day logistics of the shop so that I can be in the back working my magic at the wheel. He's got all the makings of a top-class businessman: clever tactician, sharp-tongued, not a bad eye for interior design-"

" _Song_." Kratos' voice broke through the explanation as he stepped forward. "You came to look for Yuan, right? He's not here. Please stop harassing Colette and go."

Song's eyes lit up at the sound of her name. "Colette? _You're_ Colette?"

"Yes, I-"

" _The_ Colette, Lloyd's best gal pal and- _word on the street in Meltokio_ \- Zelos Wilder's current plaything?"

The term 'plaything' sent Colette reeling, but she couldn't say anything about it directly. With Adora in her lap and the bottle in her right hand, she held up her left for a dismissive wave. "That's, uh, not really-"

"Yow! Look at those diamonds!" Without warning, Song grabbed her wrist. "Don't tell me… playboy Zelos Wilder _actually_ put a ring on it? I can't believe it! I can already hear the weeping of girls all over Tethe'alla."

Colette yanked her hand back, scooting back to put some distance in between them. "D-don't say anything to anyone! We're not announcing our engagement until the picnic, and Zelos would be _horrified_ if rumors started flying around-"

"Don't worry about a thing. I won't tell a soul." Song responded with a wink.

"No, you _won't._ " Kratos grabbed Song by the shoulder, tugging him to his feet. "Now go look for Yuan somewhere else. You're interrupting."

Song laughed good-naturedly as Kratos led him toward the door. "Alright, alright, you don't gotta push. I was gonna go look for him anyway. Thanks for your help, though. Hey, Colette!" He stopped and waved at her. "Next time you're on Meltokio's Southwest Boulevard, come by the shop! We'll give you a friends-and-family discount!"

Colette tried to smile. Really, Song seemed like a nice guy. He was friendly and complimentary, if no doubt affected by the rumours that flew around Meltokio. Still, he was the kind of person who clearly grated on Kratos' nerves, and that alone made his presence an issue.

 _No wonder Kratos doesn't want to talk to Yuan anymore… I wonder how Yuan got involved with this guy to begin with?_

Anna turned around once the door closed, looking back at the others. "You didn't have to yell at him."

Kratos shook his head. "I _did_ have to yell at him. He was being rude to Colette. And why is it that, whenever he's looking for Yuan, this is the first place he comes?"

Anna shrugged. "Maybe Yuan is more complimentary of you when you're not around. Song is pretty sure you have that number-one-friend spot all wrapped up."

Kratos rolled his eyes. "You could color me surprised if Yuan does anything but _trash-talk_ me behind my back."

"Um," Colette began, and Kratos and Anna turned immediately back to her.

"I'm sorry, Colette." Anna shook her head. "Here, let me show you the best way to hold Adora when you're feeding her. I can help you with all kinds of other things as well. It'll be a good refresher for me, since it's been so long since Lloyd was that little."

"Th-thank you." Colette nodded while Kratos walked back into the kitchen to check on the stove. Colette glanced at her ring as she sat down, taking a deep breath before speaking up again. "And, listen, if you want me to keep things quiet around Lloyd, I will. It's probably better that he hear it from you than from me anyway. But… I think you should tell him sooner rather than later."

Anna smiled.

"We'll think about it."

* * *

"Yuan! Yuan! There you are, you rascal!" Song nearly skipped down the street as he caught sight of a head of blue hair around the corner. "I thought you'd gone off to Kratos' place- I went all the way to Luin to look for you and you weren't there… though, I did get to meet Colette, and that was pretty cool in itself-"

"Song. I've been looking all over for you."

"Crazy coincidence, huh?" Song laughed. "Maybe if we'd been searching for each other in the same place, we wouldn't have had to look as hard! Right?" He reached out to slap Yuan on the shoulder, but he stopped as he noticed that Yuan was holding something large under his cloak as though trying to shield it from the rain. "What's that you got there?"

Yuan's stern expression matched his curt words. "See for yourself."

"A… box?"

Song looked down to find Yuan offering him a wooden box, left ajar so that the empty interior could be seen. Yuan closed the lid all the way to show off the carvings on the top and shoved the box into Song's arms.

" _Read it._ Look familiar?" Yuan hissed. Song glanced over at him and then back at the box, seeing the carvings in the top with new eyes.

"...uh oh…"

" _Uh oh_ doesn't even begin to cover it." Yuan closed his eyes and cursed under his breath. "I've been so stupid lately… I should've known that, with the celebration coming up, there'd be an influx of visitors to the Great Tree. I have to find out exactly what's been going on under my nose all this time."

"W-wait for me!" Song chased after him, clutching the box to his chest. "Do you want my help? I can go with you to-"

"Don't bother." Yuan shrugged his shoulders. "I'd rather you take the box back to Meltokio and hide it. Besides, don't you have patients waiting for you?"

"Oh, right. Patients." Song stopped walking, glancing down at the dark wood that was pressed against his fingers. "I mean, unless they've decided to stir up trouble, nobody's in _really_ bad shape. Couldn't I just, y'know, stick with you for a little while? Seriously, buddy, I hate for you to be on your own when you're stewing over this-"

"I am not _stewing_ ," Yuan shot back.

"But-"

"Come on. If you're going to help out, you can't be slow about it. The rain's only going to get worse, so you can borrow my cloak."

Within a few minutes, the two had taken off again down the road, Yuan's dark cloak now draped over Song's shoulders. Song still had the box, and he kept his focus on it as they walked, his eyes examining the damp wood grain. He wondered if perhaps he should say something about Colette. But, no, it had to be a coincidence. A damn strange coincidence, but it was just too far-fetched.

Better not to think too hard and just enjoy the ride.


	5. Chapter 5

Who claims to have an update schedule but can't seem to tell apart the days of the week? _This guy!_ (Sorry, everyone. I'll keep trying for Friday updates, I promise!) As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 90:  
** _An uair as laine 'n cupan, 's ann as dorr' a ghiulan.  
_ A full glass is the most difficult to carry.

 **5-**

Genis stood by the stove, stirring the hot cocoa slowly and watching the patterns in it as it swirled around his spoon. Bianca didn't care for tea, so hot cocoa was always the go-to when she visited on cold, dreary days. He really didn't mind- much as he would've liked some sort of chamomile brew to calm his nerves, something sweet was probably better for the situation they were in.

The rain had picked up and the wind rattled the windowpanes of the little apartment. Genis and Raine didn't need a lot of space except for the variety of textbooks and old manuscripts that Raine kept around, but when the weather was bad, it echoed through the whole room.

"...what's gonna happen to big-sis Raine?" Bianca whimpered. She was sitting in Nika's lap, pressing her head against her sister's chest. "Is she gonna be okay?"

Nika ran a hand through Bianca's hair, her voice steady and calm as she responded. "Raine will be fine. You don't have to worry about a thing. She's strong, remember?"

"Y-yeah, but… bombs are scary… what if they took her by surprise? What if she couldn't get away-?"

"Don't talk like that." Genis interrupted them, sitting down at the table and pushing two mugs of hot cocoa their way. "R-Raine will…" He was trying so hard, but he couldn't hide the uncertainty in his voice. "...be fine…"

Bianca picked up on his tone. "You don't sound sure."

"W-well, I'm just worried. I'm sure the attack must have been in response to Raine and Professor Low's research. There's so many people angry about it, I should've known it was only a matter of time before something like this happened."

"What's going on?" Bianca sat up straighter, leaning across the table toward Genis. "They're learning new things, right? Isn't that important? That's what research is all about!"

Nika saw that Bianca was about to knock over one of the mugs accidentally, and she pulled her back to keep her arms from flailing around the table. "It's not that simple for them, Bianca. Professor Sage and Professor Low are studying the _past_. They're making new discoveries about things that happened a long time ago. And the thing is, people thought they already knew what happened a long time ago. Professor Sage is telling people that they're _wrong_ , and that's making a lot of people angry."

Bianca hopped off her sister's lap, running around to the opposite side of the table so that she could climb into her own chair. "But that's what science is about! Supporting or refuting hypotheses! My teacher said so!"

Genis reached out for her hand, holding onto it to still her. "I wish everyone thought that way. But it's tough. See, Raine has been studying clay tablets left over from a civilization that predates even the Kharlan war by several thousand years. This civilization, it seems, had an entirely different way of viewing mana, and because of that, suddenly we're doubting everything _we_ know about it."

"What have you learned about mana in school?" Nika asked, gently pushing Bianca's mug over to her. Bianca thought about it briefly, taking a tentative sip and deciding it was still too hot and she might as well just answer.

"Mana is the energy source that powers life. Mana is created by the Great Tree, and used by living organisms to fuel biological processes as well as magitechnology for mechanical purposes. Without Mana, we couldn't live. That's why, when the Great Tree died at the end of the Kharlan War, the world had to be split in two to prevent the remaining mana from getting all used up."

" _Very good_ ," Nika murmured under her breath, though Genis' reaction was completely different.

"What if I told you that you're wrong?"

Bianca bristled. "But that's what my teacher said!"

"See? Now you're acting just like the people who're mad at Raine."

"...oh?" A blush creeped over her face and she settled back down. "Sorry, I…"

"No. It's okay. It's what you were taught." Genis shook his head and took a sip of his cocoa before continuing. "It's what we were all taught, and we just kind of accepted it. But this civilization that Raine is studying had a totally different view on mana."

"Oh really?" Nika asked, her eyes widening.

"Yeah. Bianca, remember when you said that mana is energy? Tell me, what are the two things that energy can _never_ do?"

"It, uh, can't…" Bianca stammered, squinting her eyes as she thought it through. "...I mean, it powers stuff, so it can't… um… two things…"

"Energy can neither be destroyed," Genis prompted, "nor..."

"...created." Nika finally spoke up. "It can only change between forms."

"Exactly."

Nika sat up a little bit straighter, a pleased smile on her face. Genis could feel himself getting flustered, but he couldn't look away. She just had such a bright, cheerful smile.

"But mana is the exception," Bianca spoke up. "Mana is used up and has to be created again by the Great Tree-"

Genis held up a hand to cut her off. "Yes, that's what everyone believes. But what if it doesn't? What if what we view as _consuming_ mana is just a conversion of it to a different form? That's what these ancient tablets refer to in their text. The mana we know, which Raine and Professor Low have come to call _alpha-mana_ , and a form that's unusable to us, which they call _beta-mana_."

"You're, um, starting to lose me." Nika pulled her mug up over her lips, but her frown of discomfort was still visible in her eyes.

"It's like… how plants take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen as a product of photosynthesis. Living creatures need alpha-mana to survive. And when they use up that alpha-mana, some sort of reaction occurs and it's released as beta-mana."

"That sounds complicated," Bianca replied.

"It's not, really, but it's… difficult to understand if you're not used to thinking of mana that way. We say there was no life here before Derris-Kharlan, but it's possible that, before the inhabitants of Derris-Kharlan came to this world, there were some primitive organisms- prokaryotes and _maybe_ early eukaryotes- that lived off of beta-mana instead of alpha-mana. But we can't know for sure, because-"

"Stop. You've completely lost me," Nika finally sighed. Bianca nodded and whined in agreement.

"We haven't studied all these words in class yet."

"S-sorry, sorry." Genis shook his head. "In simple terms, um… living beings depend on alpha-mana to survive. But there's clearly one organism that does the opposite, taking in beta-mana and producing alpha-mana. That's the Great Kharlan Tree."

"Ooooh," Bianca gave a low gasp as though she understood, though whether she really did or not, Genis wasn't sure.

"Of course, this is all coming from ancient clay tablets, so they had no way of knowing whether it actually was true. That's why Raine suggested that they try to reproduce the conversion in small-scale using the information they had gathered. And according to their last publication… it _worked_. They were able to _generate_ a quantifiable amount of mana based on this alpha-beta hypothesis."

"Wait…" Nika stopped, placing a hand over her mouth. "...you're saying they _made_ mana? Like, they generated it all on their own? That's _huge_!"

Genis shrugged. "Er, it was a reeeeeally small amount. Like, only detectable by very sensitive instruments. But it's a start. If we can begin generating our own mana, we can lessen our dependence on the Great Tree. We could develop new magitechnology with no fear of repeating the mistake that led to the world being split apart. We could grow crops better and more efficiently, increase our population, and improve the standard of living all over the world."

Bianca's eyes sparkled at the thought. "That sounds amazing! I knew that big-sis Raine was doing something important, but I didn't think it was anything like that!"

"It is pretty great, isn't it?" Genis beamed. "But a lot of people are angry. They're calling the hypothesis an affront to nature, to mana, to the Great Tree itself. They're citing it as the arrogance of mortals in the face of something we can't control. But the experiment showed that we _can_ control it! So there shouldn't be any worry! Right?"

"Right!" Bianca pumped her fist in the air excitedly. "Right, Nika?"

Nika, however, was still staring down into her mug of cocoa. "...I suppose so," she spoke up, "though I can understand people being frightened. For the uneducated, it sounds scary. If I understood it, perhaps it wouldn't be so frightening, but I just can't wrap my mind around it. Maybe the people who're against the project feel the same?"

Genis frowned. "I, uh, hadn't thought about it that way."

"People are always afraid of what they don't understand. Maybe if you put in the effort to teach people the specifics, like you're doing for me, then they wouldn't be so upset over it. It's better than fighting and planting bombs, right?"

The statement gave the group pause. Nika had brought up the proverbial elephant in the room, and while no one was going to berate her for it, they didn't really want to acknowledge it either. Genis stood up, stating that he was going to clean the dishes and turn on the radio so that they could hear what was going on around town. Bianca returned to sit with Nika and fell asleep with her head on her sister's shoulder.

Raine and Professor Low arrived at the apartment later that night, much to everyone's relief. They, along with others stuck on the university's campus, had received an official escort, as the city wasn't cleared yet. Nika and Bianca- as well as Professor Low- spent the night in the apartment. Nika and Bianca took Genis' bed, Professor Low slept on the loveseat, and so Genis was relegated to the stiff recliner near the bookshelf. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than the floor at least.

Still, he didn't sleep well that night. It might've been the chair, but it also might have been Nika's statement.

What _should_ their approach to the naysayers be? What was the right way to approach the problem that would benefit everyone?

Genis never managed to find the answer before he fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Sheena stopped at the steps leading up to the main complex of government buildings in Meltokio. She glanced down at the letter in her hands, took a deep breath, steeled her nerves, and-

-turned right around and walked away.

She knew that she shouldn't hesitate when it was something so important to her grandfather and her people. She knew that it was her responsibility to deliver the letter promptly. But it was so early in the morning, perhaps she'd better wait a while. Everyone was just beginning the workday, and some of them might be running late. It _was_ a dreary day with the overcast sky threatening rain at any time. Sheena decided it wouldn't be a bad idea to go… visit with some friends in the meantime.

The Meltokio Grammar School was a strict, well organized building, which made Colette's classroom stand out all the more awkwardly with its haphazardly colorful decorations, walls filled with displays of student artwork and motivational posters, more than one of which featured a puppy captioned with the words "YOU CAN DO IT!" or "YOU'RE A STAR!" Sheena could never help smiling whenever she visited. It was no wonder that all the students loved Colette- and that all the other teachers were a little put-off.

On the way, Sheena had stopped by Colette's favorite bakery and picked up a box of seasonal macarons for her as a gift, since she was dropping by unexpectedly during school hours. She knocked on the door slightly before letting herself in, nervous about interrupting some sort of organized lesson, but when she stepped into the classroom, she found herself in the midst of a wild commotion, a horde of excited ten-year-olds all yelling at once.

"I want to see!" "You're in my way!" "Can I hold her?" "I have a baby brother at home, and he's always crying." "What does she eat?" "How come she's so small?"

"Everyone, please… calm down…" Colette was in the middle of it all, her hands full as she tried to subdue the crowd. "You're going to scare her… please…"

" _That's enough_."

Sheena's sharp voice cut through the chatter, causing all the students to pay attention at once. "Miss Fujibayashi!" several of them gasped, recognizing her from earlier visits to the classroom.

"E-everyone, let's take a break from class this morning and work on your posters for the picnic instead," Colette called once everyone had quieted down. "Does that sound like fun?"

There were enthusiastic calls of agreement as the kids began running for the art supply closet, and Colette let out a relieved sigh. Somehow, the infant she was holding in her arms had been asleep through all of it- quite an impressive feat for anyone, much less a baby. Sheena approached, setting the bag of macarons on Colette's desk.

"Whose baby is that?" was the first thing she asked. "Does the principal know you've brought her to school with you?"

"Yes. I _did_ get approval for this," Colette replied with a sheepish smile. "This is Adora. She belongs to a, uh, friend of mine who's having a family emergency, so I agreed to babysit for a few days until everything settles down. Though I guess it was silly of me to think I could bring her to school and everything would be okay. The kids are just too excitable when it comes to new things."

Sheena chuckled, glancing out over the room that was now filled with the milling of children as they smeared paint onto large pieces of paper. "Well, they seem content with this project. But you're right- you can't exactly give a lesson on literature or math with a crying baby in your arms. Did you ask Zelos if he could look after her?"

"Oh, I couldn't. He's much too busy-"

" _Zelos_? He's a professional socialite. He doesn't have anything better to do."

"That's not true! Every day he's busy with important business and duties that require lots of hard work-"

" _Knock, knock, boys and girls! I've got a special delivery here for my precious hunny~"_

"Speak of the devil." Sheena smirked as she caught sight of the man in the doorway, waving brightly with an elaborately decorated lunchbox clasped in his other hand. "Good morning Zelos."

There was a wave of commotion amongst the students who were paying attention, some waving in Zelos' direction and others calling out, but Zelos ignored them. "What have we here? I spy _two_ lovely hunnies instead of one."

Sheena crossed her arms. "Call me a 'hunny' again and I'll barf on your shoes."

Her statement was followed by a chorus of giggles and ' _eww_ 's from the students, and Colette elbowed them both. " _Language_ ," she whispered, " _for the kids_."

Zelos rolled his eyes with a laugh as he set the lunchbox down on Colette's desk. "A lunch for my princess, since Sebastian said you forgot yours this morning."

The statement made Sheena's head turn. "Huh? Colette, you… slept at Zelos' house last night?"

"Seles' nurse, Miss Veronica, offered to help look after Adora last night." Colette offered, cheerfully unaware of Sheena's concern- or perhaps just trying to play it off in front of the kids. "I have no experience with babies, so she was a real life-saver."

"See, Sheena? You have no reason to worry. I'm an honorable man."

Sheena sent Zelos a side-eye, but didn't try to argue with his statement. "Well, mister _honorable man_ , it was nice of you to bring Colette something, but I'd already taken care of that myself."

"What, with _macarons_? Those things are half air, Sheena." Zelos gestured to the bakery bag. "You bite into them and they just disappear into a little cloud of sugary smoke. Poof!"

"They're nice treats, especially on a dreary day like today. What exactly do you have in that lunchbox that's so much better?"

"Uh, a _balanced meal_? Colette needs the proper nutrients for energy! She can't teach all day on a tiny box of-"

"Um, excuse me, guys…" Colette broke in between the two. She pressed Adora into the arms of a very confused Zelos, who glanced around as though there were something he'd missed. "We have a limit on visitors in the classroom, and since Adora technically counts, I think you guys should go. I love both of you, but we really need to get to today's lesson if we want to be prepared for the school-wide exam next month. The three of us can talk later, okay?"

Within a moment, Colette had escorted Zelos and Sheena back out into the hallway. Zelos was still hanging on to Adora, and he grabbed hold of Colette's sleeve before she could push him anywhere.

"Wait a minute, now! What do you expect me to do with… with _this_?"

Colette bowed respectfully. "I know it's a lot to ask, but could you _please_ look after Adora for today? She's too much of a distraction for the students, and she's not even awake yet. I know once she starts crying and yelling, it's going to be a disaster. I'll figure out something for tomorrow, but in the meantime… please."

Zelos sent an uneasy glance down at the baby. Sure, she looked peaceful now, but that wasn't going to last. She'd soon be hungry or cranky or bored-

"It's not a problem," Sheena broke in, giving Colette a thumbs-up. "Zelos can handle it."

"Wha-"

"If you have trouble, you can always ask Miss Veronica too! Her skill at calming kids down is borderline _magic_. I've never seen anything like it."

Zelos gave a hesitant nod. "Yeah, I, uh, think I'll do that."

"Perfect! You're the best, Zelos! I'll be back this afternoon to check on how things are going." Colette stood on the tips of her toes to give him a quick kiss before retreating back to the classroom.

"Um… _Sheena_?" Once Colette had closed the door behind her, Zelos broke in, his voice almost a growl. "What's the big deal?"

"That's what I should be asking you," Sheena replied with a huff, starting back down the hallway toward the exit. "Honestly, taking care of Adora for a couple hours would be good for you."

"I had some _shopping_ I was gonna do today!"

"Well then take her shopping."

"I can't do that! Do you _know_ the kind of rumors that would fly around if somebody caught me toting around a little tyke like this? It would be a disaster!"

"Oh, stop sniveling and grow up. Can't you take responsibility like a man?"

The two exited the building, walking onto the rainy streets of Meltokio once again. Zelos pulled the hood of his coat up over his head and his scarf over his mouth. "Do you even hear yourself?" he shot back once his face was sufficiently covered. " _Take responsibility like a man_ is something you'd order me to do if I knocked up a girl and refused to support the kid. That's a jerk move and I'd never do that. But this kid? She's not…" His sentence stopped and his voice trailed off as he looked down at Adora, still sleeping peacefully in his arms. "Geez. She's out like a light. I wonder how Colette managed to keep her calm in front of all those screaming kids."

"It _is_ pretty impressive. This Miss Veronica must be quite a caregiver."

Sheena allowed herself a genuine smile before she finally sighed, turning the street corner and continuing.

"Since she's still asleep, Zelos… can I ask you for some advice?"


	6. Chapter 6

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 84**  
 _Is fhearr fheuchainn na bhith san duil._  
It's better to try than to hope.

 **6-**

"Since she's still asleep, Zelos… can I ask you for some advice?"

Zelos shifted Adora into one arm so that he could pull his scarf down with the other. "Advice? From the person you just told to take responsibility like a man?"

"This is a serious matter. I want to ask you because I think you'd be the most likely to know."

Zelos thought about it for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders. "Alright, fine. Shoot. The Great Zelos' advice is free for all."

Sheena started to speak, but she choked on her words and had to pause. A glance down at the letter she still had in her pocket reassured her, and she tried again with more conviction. "Have you ever… had to give a message that you didn't agree with? Something important to people that you have a responsibility to, and don't want to let down, but at the same time something you just don't think is right? Something that might do more harm than good? Maybe I'm being too specific, but-"

"Did Colette tell you?" Zelos interrupted.

"Huh?"

"I asked her not to talk about it too much. She was pestering me last night, and I tried to assure her that everything was okay, but she knows me too well. But, really- I've made up my mind, and I've come to terms with it-"

"Zelos, _what_ are you talking about?"

He stopped walking, noticing that Adora was beginning to stir, "Um, aren't you trying to get me to open up about my feelings on the speech?"

"What speech?" Sheena shot back. "I'm trying to get advice for my problems, not hear about yours-" She stopped herself as she recognized the look of concern on his face. He'd tried to hide it, paying attention to Adora, but it was still vaguely there. "... _Zelos_ , is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. You're still asking for advice, right? Ask away."

Sheena was silent again. "Honestly? I'm curious now. What's going on, Zelos? What speech are you talking about?"

Zelos laughed, prompting a curious coo from Adora. "Geez, I guess I walked into that one? I s'pose I've gotta come clean now, don't I?" He gave a weary sigh. "Colette and I are engaged. We're announcing our betrothal at the Unification Picnic this Sunday."

"Huh?" Sheena almost tripped over her own feet. "You're getting married? I didn't think that word was even in your vocabulary."

Zelos nudged her. "Laugh it up, why don't you? In the meantime, I'll be on a romantic honeymoon with my precious Colette while you and Lloyd keep playing your stupid games."

"Stupid games? Why you-"

"Anyway," Zelos interrupted, shaking his head, "since Meltokio is my territory, I'm going to be the one to make the announcement. And I've decided- with some very persuasive input- that I'm going to announce the wedding as the merging of Tethe'alla and Sylvarant's Chosen lineages. That, just like the two worlds reuniting into one, the legacy of the Chosens will now unite into one. I've got the speech all written and everything."

Sheena was silent for a moment. "Zelos, that's…"

"It sounds like an arranged marriage, doesn't it? I can almost hear the outcry from Meltokio's ladies- 'poor Zelos, being tied down to a woman he doesn't even love!'- and meanwhile Colette brings so much love into my life, I don't know what to do with it all."

"Then why don't you say that?" Sheena asked.

"I mean, I could add that, but that's not the part I'm most concerned about. It doesn't really matter whether or not they know I'm in love with Colette." Zelos shook his head. "The thing is, Colette and I aren't the Chosens anymore. That's what we've agreed. With no more declining worlds to save, there's no point in even having a line of Chosens. The world needs to just pack it up and leave it in the past. But that's not how people see things. They don't want a Chosen to save the world necessarily, they just want a Chosen to admire. To look up to and put on a pedestal for the world to see. It somehow makes them feel better. And if they need a Chosen, then how can Colette and I take that away from them? If we try to eradicate the concept of the Chosens, will it make the already fragile state of the world worse? There's already so much controversy going around about mana and the Alpha-Beta Hypothesis-"

"The what?"

"Professor Sage's project."

"Oh. Right." Sheena blushed and looked down at her feet. "I suppose that's all true. But if you're not willing to be the Chosen for everyone, is it really worth it trying to act that way?"

"That's a decent question, I suppose," Zelos laughed. "I guess I do have to think about it that way, don't I? I have to figure out what the personal cost to me is for making my status more prominent, versus what the societal cost would be to eradicating my Chosen status altogether. If it's a lose-lose situation anyway, which one is a more worthwhile trade? For the good of the united world, am I willing to keep putting up with this shit-?"

"Zelos!" Sheena hissed. "Language! Colette would be horrified if she knew you were cursing in front of Adora."

"Oh, come on. She was talking about ten-year-olds earlier. They repeat everything they hear. But a baby? She won't remember any of this."

"That's not-"

Zelos ignored her, leaning closer to Adora as he continued. "You're not gonna remember this, are you sweetie~?" he cooed. "No you're _not_ ~. No you're _fucking_ not-"

"ZELOS!"

If he hadn't been holding a baby, Sheena would've punched him.

She changed the subject instead. "Anyway, I guess what you said about it being a lose-lose situation is pretty spot-on. The frustration of having to choose between going against your ideals or betraying the people you love-"

"Are we still talking about me?" Zelos broke in. "Because I've already made a decision, and this isn't exactly helping my confidence."

"Oh?" Sheena elbowed him. "You're telling me that the great Zelos isn't always confident?"

"I _am_ confident! Didn't I say that?!"

Before they could start squabbling again, they were interrupted by the familiar sound of a dog barking and a voice they recognized from the other side of the fence.

"N-no, dear, I can't play with you right now. No, I have to go. Colette will be home soon, I promise. Put the ball down-"

"Hey, Hazel!" Zelos stepped up to the gate that separated the street from the Wilder mansion's back garden. "Toss the ball to Sheena. She'll play with him."

Hazel opened the gate just a crack to allow the two to enter, but her gaze lingered on the baby in Zelos' arms. As Sheena grabbed the ball and tossed it for the eager pup, Hazel placed a hand on Zelos' arm.

"Whose… child is that?"

"Oh, uh, Colette is babysitting, and I'm filling in for her while she's at school," Zelos stammered, shifting Adora's weight in his arms. "It's just temporary, don't worry. We're not bothering Seles. Were you visiting her? She was asleep when I left earlier-"

"She was asleep. I simply dropped off some flowers."

"You didn't stay to chat with her when she woke up?"

Hazel looked away, focusing on where Sheena was playing, surrounded by a fluffy white blur. "Ms. Veronica said that it was probably best that I not. You know how difficult Seles has had it lately."

"Yeah, but you should at least say hi to her! She's been so lonely lately, you couldn't just-?"His voice cut off as Hazel turned away, stepping back outside the gate. "-listen to me, woman! Seles needs you! You can't let your own feelings of guilt keep you from-"

It was no use. She was already halfway down the street.

"Ugh!" Zelos groaned, closing his eyes. "I can't stand her sometimes!"

"…what exactly happened to Seles?" Sheena asked, returning to Zelos' side with the ball in her hands again. The dog was still jumping up and down at her side, but she nudged him aside with a whispered ' _settle down, boy_.' "What's got Hazel so upset?"

Zelos sighed. "Appendicitis," he answered. "The doctors said that Seles' appendix got inflamed because of a viral infection. And the only place she could've picked up a virus like that would've been from Hazel visiting her after working at the hospital. So of course now Seles is down one appendix and Hazel blames herself." He stopped and rolled his eyes. "What can you do?"

"I never heard about that. I mean, I'd heard that Seles was sick, but I never heard it was so serious-"

"The serious part was everybody debating whether or not they should operate on her. It was awful." Zelos continued through the garden with a huff, expecting Sheena to follow or be left behind. "It didn't matter what the surgery entailed- without it she'd have died. If there's something inside her body that's going to kill her, you need to remove that shit. It's common sense."

Sheena was surprised by his sudden movement and had to run to catch up. The dog followed along at her heels until she tossed the ball his way and he ran off to play with it. "Zelos!" she hissed, pointing to Adora. "The baby."

"I don't give a f-"

She didn't let him finish. "I'm sure they were just concerned about Seles' weak constitution. Medical procedures are always dangerous when anesthesia is involved."

"…even so, when the alternative is so clear…" Zelos closed his eyes and sighed, shifting Adora's weight in his arms as he heard her begin to whine. "Never mind. Seles is okay now. If I keep stewing over it, I'll be just as bad as Hazel."

He was going to continue, but before he could, Adora's whines intensified into a series of guttural cries that punctuated in a high pitched squeal. Zelos almost stumbled, trying to hold her out away from his face.

"Adora? Hey, kid, what's the matter? What's wrong? Will you quit crying? Hey!" He looked to Sheena in panic. "What's wrong with her? She was so content just now!"

"I-I don't know!" Sheena flinched. "Is she hungry?"

"I don't think so. Colette said that she grabs at people's clothes when she's hungry."

"Maybe she's in pain?"

"How? She's been in my arms this whole time!" Zelos shook his head. "Nothing could've happened to-"

Sheena cut him off. "Do you think she needs her diaper changed?"

Adora kept crying, but Zelos paused. "Uh…" He held the baby out a short distance from him, examining the expression on her face. "You might be right. I have a bad feeling about this…"

"Well, don't just stand there." Sheena stepped in front of him, opening the door and motioning him inside. "Take her inside and get her cleaned up. You can do that, right?"

"O-of course I can!" Zelos defended, rushing inside and closing the door behind him. "I know exactly what to do. _Sebastian_?!"

Sheena frowned as she watched Sebastian approaching from the other room. Zelos, however, seemed unfazed by the whole situation.

"Sebastian? Can you call Veronica in here, please? I need her help. It's, uh-" Zelos glanced down at the crying infant in his arms. "-urgent."

"Right away, Master Zelos."

Sheena narrowed her eyes and elbowed him in the side. "What are you doing, calling on other people for help? Can't you change a diaper on your own?"

A look of disgust passed over Zelos' face. "It's not a question of _can_ I, my dear Sheena. The fact is that I don't _have_ to. I mean, why should I when she's not even my kid to begin with and I have people to do that for me?"

Satisfied with his answer, he moved to sit on a cushioned bench in one corner, still rocking Adora back and forth to distract her. Sheena walked over beside him, but didn't sit down.

"Okay, fine. But what'll happen when you have kids of your own? I know Colette wants them. Are you going to foist your own child on someone else too?"

"Sheena, relax." Zelos rolled his eyes. "The Wilders are an aristocratic family. If you think either of my parents touched a single one of my dirty diapers when I was a baby, you're sorely mistaken."

There was a pause as Sheena sighed, speaking again with a pointed glare. "Really? So that's the kind of parent you want to be, huh?"

It only took a second for the implication of what she'd said to sink in. Zelos stiffened, looking up at her with an angry glint in his eyes.

"Why you-"

"Zelos, darling? You called for me?"

The figure of a spindly, older woman appeared at the top of the stairs. Sheena hadn't met Seles' current nurse before, but she'd heard enough from Colette to know that this had to be her. Zelos shifted Adora into one hand so that he could wave with the other. "Hey! Can you get me some supplies for Adora? I need some clean diapers, some baby powder, disinfectant, a face mask, rubber gloves, and some alcohol."

"Right away, dear," Veronica chirped with a smile. "You mean, uh, rubbing alcohol?"

"Well, actually I was thinking more along the lines of a shot of vodka. But at this point, I'm really not picky."

The woman disappeared around the corner, laughing as though she didn't think he was serious, but Sheena knew otherwise. "You are a bad role-model," she hissed.

Zelos replied with just a shrug of his shoulders. "I said that the Great Zelos' advice is free to all. I didn't say you had to agree with it." He paused to laugh a little and then sighed as he turned his gaze back toward Adora. "Do you still need advice, by the way? I never did get to hear your side of the story- all I did was talk about myself. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay." Sheena shook her head. "It actually gave me a good perspective on things. I've decided what I'm going to do now."

"You have?"

"Yeah. First I have a job to do. But tomorrow, when I have some free time… I think I'm going to go visit Luin."

A sly smile spread across Zelos' face. "Oho! There's something in Luin that you'd like to do, I presume?"

"Yeah. I'm going to-"

"-or some _one_ , I mean…?"

Sheena's face flashed red as she realized that she'd walked right into that. "Y-you-! Forget it! I don't need to tell you my plans anyway!" She turned around with a huff, heading back toward the door with little more than a cursory wave. Honestly, she didn't expect him to continue the conversation, so she was surprised when he spoke again.

"Hey, Sheena?"

The change in tone of his voice caught her attention, and she turned back to look at him. "What?"

"Remember, you're a strong woman," Zelos stated matter-of-factly. "If you want a piece of him, you go get it."

Sheena turned her face away to hide the redness in her cheeks- and the smile on her lips. "Have fun changing diapers, _dad_."

"Call me 'dad' one more time and I'll barf on your shoes."

Satisfied with his answer, Sheena offered a more sincere wave. "As long as you don't call me 'hunny."

"It's a deal."

* * *

Kratos pushed the door to the little shop open, listening to the way the bells chimed as it closed behind him. He glanced around, still unfamiliar with the way the gallery was set up. Porcelain pieces of various designs and colors were on display in every corner, on tables, pedestals, and the floor. They so crowded the room that Kratos felt a sudden rush of claustrophobia, and shuffled his way carefully to the counter on the opposite wall.

"All prices are listed on the descriptions with the piece. Custom orders can be arranged if you place your name and contact information in the book to your right." Yuan didn't even look up from his book as he gave his rehearsed spiel, leaning one elbow against the countertop. "Seriously. Take some of these of my hands, will you?"

"Yuan, why are you working at a pottery shop if you hate pottery so much?"

The voice broke through to catch Yuan's attention, and he sat up straight. "Kratos?" He shoved a bookmark onto the page he was reading and slammed the book onto the counter. "What are you doing here? Last time I checked, you don't exactly like pottery either."

"I was in town taking care of some details for the contract work the militia is doing next week." Kratos motioned to the bag he had slung over his shoulder. "I figured I should stop by and visit my friend. Is that a bad thing?"

Yuan frowned and raised one eyebrow. "What do you want?"

"Nothing. I just came to say hi. If you don't want to see me, I'll go." Kratos turned around, shaking his head. "I was thinking about you yesterday, is all. Sorry for caring."

"It's just because Song was visiting you, wasn't it? He said you chased him out. It wouldn't kill you to be nice to him once in a while-"

Kratos swiveled back around to cut him off. He wanted to wave one hand to punctuate his thoughts, but the room was so crowded with fragile porcelain, he wouldn't risk it. "It wasn't that. Colette visited and she was babysitting a half-elf kid who had fringed-blue eyes. I thought you'd want to know that was making a comeback, is all." He turned again and headed for the door. "I'll be working, so I won't be able to celebrate. Have a good picnic or whatever-"

"Kratos, wait."

He was already reaching for the door when he heard Yuan's response. Curious, he turned around to see Yuan standing behind the counter with a stern expression on his face. "What's wrong?" Kratos asked.

"What did you say?" Yuan asked. "Colette? Babysitting a half-elf kid?"

"Yes. I thought I should tell you. Is there a problem-?"

Yuan stepped out from behind the counter and weaved around some of the displays to approach Kratos. With a grin, he roped one arm around Kratos' shoulders, pulling him away from the door. "You came here to chat with me, right? What kind of friend would I be to refuse your welcome? Let's go back in the kitchen and have some tea."

Kratos frowned and dug his heels into the floor. "Is it okay for you to leave the shop? Won't Song get mad at you?"

"Don't worry so much. He can deal with it." Yuan shook his head. "Now, about Colette…"


	7. Chapter 7

Looking at my schedule, I should probably _officially_ change my update days to Satuday… but we'll see. As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 122:**  
 _A breugach Feumaidh cuimhne mhath._  
A liar needs a good memory.

 **7-**

Yuan led Kratos back up the stairs into the second floor living area. The staircase led into the kitchen, where Yuan quickly pulled a pair of mugs and a kettle out of the cabinet. He directed Kratos to sit down at the small table while he poured water into the kettle and started up the stove.

"Is red tea alright? Song tries to stay away from caffeine."

" _Thank gods…_ " Kratos muttered to himself before replying. "I mean, yeah. Whatever's fine."

Yuan left the kettle on the stove and began fishing the tea out of one of the drawers. "I heard that, you know. People like you just don't understand the genius of people like Song."

"It's your choice in friends that I don't understand." Kratos rolled his eyes. "What do you see in him, anyway?"

"I told you, he reminds m-"

"I remember." Kratos cut him off. "But what exactly about him reminds you of Martel? I don't see it."

Yuan shook his head. "You didn't know Martel like I did."

"Oh, I see. So you're saying you've _known_ Song the way that you _knew_ Martel? I had a feeling-"

Yuan spun around, his hair falling over his shoulder as he did so. "If you're implying what I think you're implying, _stop_. That's not what I meant and you know it. Besides, that's not what we're here to talk about."

"I didn't think we were limited in our topics of discussion." Kratos glanced over at the book that Yuan had set on the counter and reached over in an attempt to grab it. "What were you reading-?"

"Don't." Yuan slapped Kratos hand away. "That's none of your business."

Kratos frowned as he watched Yuan attend to the kettle. The water was beginning to boil, and so Yuan silently went to work preparing the tea. He had that frown Kratos recognised as the one he wore when he was focused on something that frustrated him. But what was it, exactly?

"So you said Colette was… babysitting? Since when does she do that?" Yuan began to pour tea into one of the handmade porcelain mugs. "I mean, not that I couldn't see her doing something like that, but last I heard she was pretty busy teaching at the grammar school."

"She said that it was the child of one of Zelos' friends," Kratos replied, accepting the mug with a frown.

"A half-elf child?"

"That's what I said. She assured me that it was true, but she didn't seem all that sincere. Colette's not a great liar, so I think something's up, but it's not my place to pry."

Yuan had finished pouring his own cup of tea, and at Kratos' statement he slammed the kettle back onto the table. "She's your son's best friend. Of _course_ it's your place to pry."

Kratos frowned. "What the hell kind of logic is that?"

"Doesn't matter. How old was this little girl?"

"Not very. About four weeks or so, I guess? She was pretty small, but she was smiling and grasping at things, so-" Kratos stopped. "Did I mention that she was a girl?"

Yuan waved one hand dismissively. "Sure you did. And did Colette say how long she was going to be keeping her?"

"No."

"Well, did she say _where_ she was going to be keeping her?"

"No- I assume she's either staying at Colette or Zelos' house. Why are you so hung up on this?" Kratos narrowed his eyes. "You're not trying to get ahold of her or something, are you? I told you about her eyes because I thought you'd like to know. It's not your place to-"

"Not your place, not my place… you act like no one's allowed to be curious anymore!" Yuan spat. "You were the one who thought of me when you met her, right? Then is it so wrong of me to want to see her for myself?"

"It's not. But your insistence on it concerns me." Kratos closed his eyes and sighed. "As a father, the idea of a man so intently interested in someone else's child is a little… scary."

There was a sudden silence. Yuan's face turned pale and he looked down at his tea. "Sorry. I should've thought about it like that. I guess I got a little carried away."

Kratos sighed. "If you're really interested in seeing the little one, I know Colette and Zelos are going to the fireworks show in Greene Park tomorrow night. If you happen to meet them there, perhaps you can say hello. That way you're not intruding."

When Yuan looked up from his tea, he was actually smiling. Kratos was a little taken aback.

"Thanks, Kratos. I'll keep that in mind."

"Wow. So you can actually make a smile that's not a self-satisfied smirk." Kratos reached across the table and tapped Yuan on his forehead.

"H-hey! And here I thought you were actually being nice to me for a change." Yuan stood up, pushing his chair back and returning the kettle to the stovetop. "If you don't have anything nice to say, you should finish your tea and go."

Kratos allowed himself a soft laugh and took a minute to finish the tea in his cup. Once it was all gone, he retrieved his bag from the back of the chair and stood up, glancing over to the stove where Yuan was still standing by himself.

"Thanks for the tea."

Yuan shrugged. "Don't mention it. If you ever need any tea, just come by. Take some with you. Song _hoards_ the stuff- I think it's an artist thing."

"For his sake, I'll let you get back to the store. Depending on where the platoons are assigned, I may see you at the picnic. Stay safe, okay? The police are afraid that-"

He was cut off by a crash somewhere in the next room. Both Yuan and Kratos stiffened at the sound, and Kratos' hand flew to the hilt of his sword.

"What was that?"

"Probably the cat," Yuan offered, placing a hand on Kratos' shoulder. "I'll go make sure nothing's broken. You can go ahead back to-"

"Since when do you have a cat? You're allergic to cats."

"I'm allergic to _Katz._ There's a difference. And that's not important; you should go-"

Kratos ignored the recommendation and instead started toward the next room with a defensive stance. He slid the door open and stepped in, immediately locating the source of the noise. A man was lying on the couch, sitting up halfway on a pillow while a young woman was kneeling next to him, cleaning up the floor where a glass of orange juice had been spilled. She stopped immediately once she caught sight of Kratos- and his militia uniform.

"Th-the police-"

"Don't worry! He's a friend!" Yuan scrambled into the room between Kratos and the others. "Kratos, these are some friends of Song's. They're just hanging out here until-"

"You're both injured. Are you alright?" Kratos stepped around Yuan, kneeling down to help the woman to her feet.

"I'm alright. It's just my arm. But my brother…" She paused and glanced at the man on the couch. "He can't walk on his own. If it wasn't for Doctor Lu, we wouldn't have anywhere to go."

Kratos spun around to look at Yuan. "I didn't think Song's medical license was still valid in Tethe'alla. Don't tell me he's practicing illegally-"

"Of course it's still valid- and he doesn't need a medical license if he's doing it for free. Like I said, these are our friends." Yuan grabbed Kratos' arm and dragged him back into the kitchen, shoving the door closed behind them. "You had better not tell anyone about thi-"

"So you recognise them?"

"Huh?"

"You know that those two are wanted criminals," Kratos interrupted. "If I told anyone, you and Song could be arrested. What are they doing, hiding from the law at your place? They need to turn themselves in so that they can receive proper medical care."

"They _are_ receiving medical care. Song was one of the best physicians in his county when he was practicing."

"But that was five years ago." Kratos crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "He's been doing nothing but playing with clay since then. And even if his care is on the level of a professional, those two are wanted for inciting a political _riot._ They're not the most trustworthy of friends."

"I don't mind. This is Song's decision."

"So you're perfectly fine with the idea that your boyfriend is harboring political fugitives in your own home during a time of social unrest?"

Yuan stiffened. "I already told you, Song and I are _not_ romantically involved-"

" _That's not the part of my accusation you should be concerned about!_ "

There was a tense silence between the two as they stared each other down. After a few moments, Yuan turned around with a sigh.

"I spent a large part of my life as the head of a rebel group against the strongest organization in the world, run by a boy who declared himself god. I _know_ all there is to know about political fugitives."

Kratos certainly couldn't argue with that logic. He sighed and looked back towards the staircase.

"I won't say anything. But if you and he get caught, I'm not going to bail you out."

"I wouldn't want you to," Yuan shot back, brushing past him as he led the way down the staircase. Kratos followed, tightening his grip on his bag as he returned to the showroom with all the fragile pieces. Once they got there, they were greeted by an older woman who appeared to be browsing around.

"Oh, there is someone here after all," she commented. "I was wondering if you'd gone out for lunch and forgotten to change the sign. Is something the matter?"

"No," Kratos waved at her. "I apologize for monopolizing his attention. I was just leaving."

"Without buying anything, I might add," Yuan spat.

Kratos grumbled under his breath, grabbing the nearest piece of stoneware and carrying it over to the counter. "Here," he said, placing it down. "Send this to my son with a note that says happy unification day or whatever. How much does it cost?"

"I'll put it on your tab," Yuan replied. "Song knows where you live."

"I know he knows, _trust me_."

* * *

Colette stepped into the house, accompanied by a large dog that bounded excitedly around her legs. He was making enough of a racket to announce their entrance, but she wanted to contribute as well.

"Zelos~! I'm home. Hello?"

No matter how long she spent in the Wilder mansion, Colette always forgot how large it was. Even with her yells and Pete's excited barking, if Zelos was on the other side of the house, he'd never hear.

Luckily, Sebastian was spending his time in the foyer as usual. He looked up from the periodical he was reading and offered the two a friendly wave.

"Master Zelos is in the drawing room playing with Adora. He seems to be having quite a time."

"Oh, he is?" Colette managed to quiet her canine companion by scratching the sweet spot behind his left ear. "I'm surprised. I figured that he would've pawned her off onto Ms. Veronica by now. I guess I should've had more faith in him."

Sebastian laughed. "I must admit, I've seen a side of Zelos today that I've never seen before."

"A side you've never seen before…?" Colette was already walking down the hallway to the drawing room, leaving behind Pete who was pestering Sebastian for a treat. She could hear Zelos' melodic voice from the other side of the door, but still had to push the door open to get an idea of what was going on.

Zelos had spread a blanket onto the floor of the drawing room and was lying on his back next to Adora, who was on her stomach trying to grasp at what Zelos had in his hands. He was singing to her, holding an action figure in each hand and moving them as though they were dancing so that Adora could follow. The scene would've probably been more heartwarming if the action figures Zelos were holding hadn't been of _himself,_ but nevertheless, Colette was awestruck by the tenderness in his voice and motions.

He stopped singing as he caught sight of Colette in the doorway and perked up, dropping the figures and pulling himself into a seated position.

"My darling Colette! It's so good to see you- you're home early!"

"No, actually I'm home at the regular time." Colette shook her head, approaching and sitting down on the blanket beside him. Adora had picked up one of the figures and was starting to chew on its bright red hair, so Colette gently pulled it away from her, examining it in awe as she recognized it. "Y-you took your 25th birthday limited edition collectible Zelos Wilder action figure out of its _box_?"

"I needed a toy for her to play with."

"Are you feeling okay? You don't let the maids _dust_ around those boxes, much less touch them."

He picked up Adora, holding her so that her face was next to his. "C'mon, Colette. How could you say no to _that face_?"

Adora's curious expression was such a contrast to his dramatic pout, Colette couldn't help laughing. "What changed since this morning? You were really reluctant to take her at first. Did something happen?"

Zelos lowered Adora so that she was sitting comfortably in his lap. "I guess I just-" He shrugged sheepishly. "-have a weakness for cute babies that I never knew about."

Colette laughed again, this time leaning against Zelos' side and resting her head on his shoulder. "And here I was, worrying over how you two would get along. I'm so happy to see you both smiling together."

Zelos leaned over and kissed Colette's cheek, enjoying seeing the shade of pink that always covered her face when he did so. The clock in the corner of the room began to chime the hour, and Adora squirmed restlessly in response.

"Sebastian will have dinner ready soon," Zelos began, "so before we eat, I was thinking…"

"Hm?"

"You know who would probably _love_ to meet Adora?"

A smile spread across Colette's face. "Seles!"

"Bingo! Dinnertime is the one time I know Seles will be awake." Zelos hugged Adora, rocking her back and forth as he spoke. "If there's anything that'll cheer up Seles, it'd have to be playing with Adora."

"But won't Ms. Veronica get angry?" Colette asked. "She was so insistent that we keep Adora away from Seles to avoid upsetting her…"

"I know, but…" Zelos shook his head. "I _know_ Seles. I don't think she'll be upset at all. In fact, I think this may just be what she needs to help get her back on her feet."

Colette allowed herself to smile again and rose to her feet. "Well, you know Seles better than anyone else in the world. If you think it'll help, I'll do everything I can to get Adora to her!"

Zelos cradled the baby in one arm and reached up his other to take Colette's hand and pull himself up. "You take Adora," he instructed, "and I'll find some sort of job to distract Veronica for a while. I'm sure Tokunaga could think of something for her to do. Meanwhile, you wait for me by the east wing staircase, and when the coast is clear, I'll come get you. Then we'll go see Seles together."

Adora was reaching for Colette's hair, trying to chew on it, but Colette was too caught up in a bubbly giggle to even notice. "Oh, this sounds like an exciting top-secret mission. This is going to be fun!"

Zelos nodded. "And if it can make Seles feel better, it'll be worth it."


	8. Chapter 8

As per usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 79:**  
 _Cha'n eil cleith air an olc, ach gun a dheanamh._  
The only way to conceal bad deeds is to avoid them.

 **8-**

Genis woke up late with a fever.

By the time he came to, Nika and Bianca had already left for work and school, and there was no sign of Raine or Professor Low. A note was left on the table next to a covered bowl of soup and someone had left a wet cloth over Genis' forehead. His shoulders ached and his throat hurt, but he pulled himself out of the chair and trudged over to read the note that had been left for him.

 _Hey, Genis- you had a fever, so I let you sleep. All that running around in the rain yesterday must've caught up with you. I warmed up some of last night's soup for you and left it on the table, and when I get to the university, I'll let your professors know that you won't be in class. I'm working late tonight again, so I might not see you before you go to bed. Don't worry about me and just get some rest. Raine_

Genis frowned and examined the soup. He grabbed the spoon that had been left beside the bowl, taking a sip of the soup to test it. Lukewarm. Yuck.

Still, he didn't want to have to make food himself when he felt so bad, so he resigned himself to eating the soup as he reread Raine's note over and over. It was thoughtful, at least, that she'd made him something and taken the message to his professors. But there was a sort of apathy to the letter that bothered him. He hadn't been sick like this in years. The last time he'd had a fever, Raine had taken care of him, sitting by his bedside, cooking for him, keeping him company. It was the kind of thing a parent would do for a child- or in this case, an older sibling for a younger sibling. Two months ago, Bianca got sick and Nika stopped working for several days to take care of her. Genis knew that Raine's work was important, but if Nika, who was living paycheck-to-paycheck to take care of their little family, could stop working to be a big sister, why couldn't Raine?

 _I know I'm not a child anymore and I can take care of myself, but still._

Sometimes it just felt good to be cared for… and empty to not be.

After finishing the soup, Genis set the dishes aside and moved to his bed. Initially cold, he stole blankets from Raine's bed to cover himself, but woke up a few hours later covered in sweat and ditched the blankets as well as his pajamas. An hour after that he woke up shivering, with no idea how he'd ended up shoving the blankets aside and sleeping in his underwear. The morning continued like that, jumping between frightful extremes, until the mid-afternoon when he finally fell into a weary, deep sleep.

It was too good to last long.

At some point in the early evening, Genis was awoken by a knock on the door. He groaned and stood up, tossing his blanket over his shoulders and approaching the door. He was sure that he looked awful, wearing nothing but his boxers and a dirty tee-shirt, his hair unruly and his face flushed, but with Raine working late he couldn't imagine that it would be anyone important behind the door. He sniffled, cleared his throat, and opened it just a crack.

Genis' heart almost stopped.

" _Nika_!"

He was sure that, if his face could've gotten any redder, it would have.

"Genis?" Nika's face fell in surprise as she looked him over. "A-are you okay?"

"N-no, I'm- er, I mean, _yes_ , I just, uh-" Genis found himself stammering, feeling the burning in his face so much more strongly.

 _Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods, I'm sick and in my underwear and she's standing right there and she's staring at me, oh gods, oh gods-_

"Genis... are you sick?"

"I- uh, no. I mean, I just have a little cold. It's not a big deal. Come in- or _don't_ , actually. I have a cold. A _little_ cold! I'm fine, really-"

"I'm so sorry! I left this morning without even realizing it. Do you need anything? Have you eaten?" Nika reached out to place her hand on his forehead. "You _do_ have a fever. Did you stay home from class today?"

"I, uh, did…" It took Genis a moment to find his voice through the haze of embarrassment from her hand on her forehead. "I didn't want to spread it to anyone else- you know these things are most contagious around the onset of symptoms-"

Nika waved a hand to cut him off. "No, that's fine. You should be resting if you're sick. I was just asking because…" Her voice trailed off as she looked away. "...Bianca said she was going to meet you at the university after her club finished. She told me I could pick her up here once I got off work so that I didn't have to worry about using my break to go get her."

The atmosphere in the apartment suddenly turned cold.

"So Bianca's-?" Genis choked. He glanced around, suddenly filled with more energy than he'd had all day. "She must be looking for me at the university. We need to go find her! Give me just a second to get dressed, and I'll meet you downstairs."

He tried to close the door, but Nika stepped in halfway. "No! Not if you're sick. You should stay here. I'll go look for her."

"I've been sleeping all day, so it'll be fine. We'll find her faster if we search together, I'm sure. Besides-" Genis motioned to his belongings in one corner. "-I have a backup key to Raine's lab building. If all else fails, we can go ask her and Professor Low for help."

"Genis, please." Nika shook her head. "You're always putting yourself out on our accounts. It's not fair for you to have to do this when you're sick-"

He cut her off, pointing to the hallway. "Outside. Five minutes. I'll be there and we'll go together to the university. Got it?"

For a moment Nika looked like she was going to argue. However, she sighed to herself and nodded, taking a step backwards from the door.

"Thank you, Genis."

* * *

Two hours scouring the university's campus, and nothing came up. It was disheartening to say the least.

Genis was tired and felt like his head was spinning, but he didn't want to show it. Nika looked like she was going to cry, and he had to be the one to keep it together for the both of them. Initially the two had split up, searching the buildings where Genis usually had his classes. They then reconvened and searched the library, at the very back of the third floor where Genis often went to work in total quiet. They searched the student center, in the room beside the kitchen where Genis usually ate his lunch while reading a book. They searched the recreation center, the music building, and the cafeteria, even though Genis hardly ever went any of those places- no luck either.

And by that point, there weren't many people working who could say whether or not they'd seen a little red-headed girl wandering around. It was starting to feel hopeless.

Undeterred, the two returned to Genis' apartment and then to the boarding house where Nika and Bianca lived. The apartment was empty and the boarders assured them that they hadn't seen any sign of Bianca the whole day. So, back to the university they went, the darkness of the city feeling all the more suffocating.

As they approached the steps of the main classroom building, Nika pulled her jacket tighter around her and turned back to Genis.

"It's getting chilly out here. You should go back home and rest."

"What? No way!" Genis shook his head, racing up a couple of steps ahead of her. "I'm sticking with you until we find Bianca. It's not fair that you should have to look on your own."

"But you're sick-"

"So what? That gives me an excuse to leave everything on your shoulders?" He turned his back on her. "Hurry; it's possible that she's fallen asleep on the couch outside of the dean's office-"

"Genis, stop."

He could hardly do otherwise when she grabbed his hand and tugged him backwards.

Genis stiffened and was about to yank his hand away to avoid passing on whatever virus he'd caught, but he remembered that Nika was wearing gloves, and didn't have the heart to.

"Please," she continued, "I don't mind. I've been responsible for Bianca ever since she was born. It's not fair for _you_ that you should be doing this."

"Why not? If I want to, then what's so bad about it? I care about Bianca too, you know."

"B-because-" Nika was stumbling over her words at this point. "-I don't want to rely on you!"

The statement gave Genis pause. He was silent, letting his hand fall from her grip as she loosened her hold on his hand. Finally, after it seemed like she wasn't going to say anything more, he spoke again.

"You _can_ rely on me, Nika."

"I didn't say I couldn't, Genis. I said I didn't _want_ to."

At the sound of her statement, he felt a sudden lurch of his stomach that he doubted had anything to do with his illness.

"Why not?" he choked.

"Because... "Nika shook her head. "...you're the most reliable person in the world, and yet _look_ what happens anyway! I'm sorry, Genis. It's not _you_. I have to find my sister. You go home."

As he watched her continue up the steps to the door of the building, he felt that lurch in his stomach growing into a gnawing sensation that threw him off-balance. _It's not_ you. _Go home._ Those words sounded an awful lot like a break-up for someone he hadn't even been on one date with yet.

Turning around, Genis walked calmly back down the steps and along the pathway until he was sure that he was out of sight. After that, he began to run, not caring much where he was going so long as he was getting away. And all that sniffling he was doing- he could blame it on the cold, right?

It didn't occur to him where he was going until he noticed the reflection of a street lamp off of a police barrier. It enclosed an area of one of the buildings that looked burnt, charred from the outside by some sort of explosion. Of course! The attack from yesterday had struck very near Raine's lab, hadn't it? Without thinking, he'd run all the way to Raine's lab building. Somehow, despite the loneliness he'd felt this morning, she was the first one he wanted to see when he was upset.

And maybe she'd know something about Bianca.

 _Maybe_ if he found Bianca, he could prove himself to Nika.

Taking a deep breath and wiping his nose, he approached the lab door with a new resolve.

* * *

The hallways were dark and empty when he entered, and he could see light only down at the corner, where Raine and Professor Low were no doubt still working. Part of him felt guilty for stopping them in the middle of something so important that they had to stay late like this. But he just needed to see his sister's face. Raine always helped him realize things were going to be alright.

Genis considered knocking, but he figured it would be just as invasive if he were to step in unannounced- why delay things? He took hold of the doorknob and braced himself for the scolding he'd get for interrupting their work. But the clicking and creaking of the door seemed to go unnoticed for the moment.

Having worked as a teacher's assistant in the biology department, Genis was extremely familiar with laboratory safety protocol. Though the researchers in the archeology department were more worried about protecting the specimens from themselves rather than the other way around, most of the rules were the same. As Genis scanned the room, he was surprised to see the number of rules that the two women seemed to be breaking right off the bat. Raine was _sitting_ on one of the tables- not safe!- and neither she nor Professor Low were wearing their lab coats. The lab coats had been tossed onto the floor… _along with quite a bit of their other clothing_.

Genis almost stopped breathing. He was pretty sure that, when the lab rules advised against putting your mouth on anything in the lab, that _included_ your fellow researcher's mouth-

 _Wait! Why the hell am I still thinking in terms of lab safety?!_

By that point, both professors had heard the door and pulled their attention away from each other so that they could look at the newcomer. Genis saw Professor Low's eyes widen as if she'd just seen a ghost, and Raine's shoulders stiffen as the color slowly drained from her face.

"G-Genis…"

"I-I'm sorry," Genis interrupted, his grip on the doorknob tightening. "I didn't mean to interrupt your _important work_. It's not like I would've _KNOWN_."

"Genis-!"

He didn't stay to hear what they had to say. Instead, he bolted out the door and down the hallway, around the corner to the back part of the building where the loading dock for supplies was located. He didn't know this part of the building very well, but he figured that his sister and Professor Low wouldn't look for him here. This was different from the way he'd run earlier. It wasn't out of desperation, but out of frustration and anger.

Why hadn't they said anything? Why had they lied to him? Was this what they did every night while they were supposedly _working late_?

 _I thought my sister blew me off when I was sick so that she could continue important research! I was hurt but admired her dedication to her work! Was she just blowing me off so that she could rendezvous with her girlfriend instead? Her girlfriend that I've known for months and she's_ never _told me about? Gods, how could I have been this blind? And worst of all, Raine never even seemed to feel bad-_

Caught up in his swirl of thoughts and unable to see much in the dark hallway, Genis accidentally ran straight into the door of a janitor's closet. Thankfully, he'd been running at a slight angle, so it was his forearm and cheek that slammed into the door first. He fell back onto the floor, a soreness in his arm and a prickling pain spreading through his lip along with the taste of blood. Defeated and dejected, he didn't even want to stand up again. Instead he let himself lie against the door, the tears that had been threatening earlier finally streaming down his face.

There were muffled sounds around him as he began to regain composure, and he first thought it was just the ringing in his ears from the impact with the door. But no- when he pulled his head away from the door, he didn't hear it anymore. He leaned back toward the door and pushed his ear to it, listening again for the sound. Sure enough, a muffled whimpering, almost desperate in its intensity, was sounding on the other side of the door.

Genis felt his body stiffen.

"Is someone in there?"

Sure enough, the sound grew, and the noise of something thrashing about became evident. Genis quickly pulled himself to his feet and tried the doorknob, but it was locked.

"H-hold on just a minute! I have a key," Genis called, reaching in his pocket to fish out the building key that he'd brought. Luckily for him, it opened the interior doors as well as the exterior, and with little trouble, he managed to unlock the door.

Opening it and fumbling for a light switch, he could hear everything more clearly. The muffled sobs and yelps were subsiding now that he was there, and once the light clicked on and illuminated the closet, he found out why.

Genis nearly froze.

" _Bianca_?"

She was bound and gagged, her hands tied behind her back to one of the shelf supports. Genis wasted no time in falling down beside her, his aching hands fumbling as he tried to undo the knot on the gag. Unable to figure it out, he spied a utility knife on one of the upper shelves and retrieved it, cutting with ease through the cloth and the rope that held her. Once freed, Bianca collapsed into Genis' lap, throwing her arms around his waist and sobbing into his chest.

Her words were completely unintelligible, but Genis didn't have the heart to ask her to slow down and enunciate at this point. His eyes stung with tears again as he wondered how long she'd been locked down here and why…

"Bianca, hey, look at me." He put his hands on her cheeks, tilting her head up towards him. "What happened? Who put you here? What did they do to you?"

Her response wasn't entirely understandable, but she was trying her best and Genis didn't want to push her.

" _...was playing… courtyard… two people… said… attack… tomorrow… the marina… and then… but I couldn't… had to… tied me up… warn about… oh, Genis… I'm scared!_ "

"It's okay. It's okay." Genis wrapped her arms around her. "Don't worry. I'm here now. We're going to call the police, and we're going to find the people who did this to you. You're safe now, I promise-"

Genis had been so occupied talking to Bianca, he hadn't been paying attention to his other surroundings. He was cut off by the sound of Bianca screaming just a split second before a searing pain exploded in the back of his head. Disoriented, he felt himself fall over with Bianca clinging to him in panic. A pair of voices behind him were discussing something, but he couldn't quite make it out except…

" _Great_. Now our problem's doubled."


	9. Chapter 9

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 101:  
** _Feumaidh a 'chlann modailean seach measadairean.  
_ Children have more need of models than critics.

9-

" _Great._ Now our problem's doubled."

The voice was female, but Genis could see two figures out of the corner of his eye- the one who'd spoken and a male who was holding whatever had been used to hit Genis on the back of the head. What was it? All he could tell was that it was cylindrical, almost like a firecracker… or a _bomb._

Genius closed his eyes, mentally cursing at himself. Now that he was lying on his side, the congestion in his nose was starting to drain and he could smell the sharp scent of flammable chemicals around them in the closet.

 _They're planning another attack?!_

"Can't you deal with him too?" the male attacker asked, prompting a huff from his partner.

"Stupid! Children's minds are way easier to erase than adults'. I work magic, not miracles."

"So… we just have to keep them until tomorrow. Once the damage is done, we can let them go-"

"Right to the police to report us? I don't think so!"

"Then what are we supposed to do? I signed up for vandalism, not murder."

"This isn't something we should be handling on our own. We need to ask Watson before we make another mo-"

" _ASTRAL BIND!"_

An echoed voice from behind them and a flash of magical light stopped the vandals' argument and sent them crumpling to the floor. Bianca gasped, sitting up and yelling through tears. "Professor!" She waved frantically. "Please, help Genis!"

Genis felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and managed to turn his head. Professor Low was examining him, a look of worry glinting behind her glasses that took him by surprise. "Genis," she began, "are you alright? Can you stand?"

"Y-yeah," he stammered. "It's just my head."

Despite his assurances, she slung his arm over her shoulders and helped him to his feet. Once she was sure he was steady, she scooped up Bianca and led the way back down the hall.

"What about those guys we left behind?" Genis asked. "We can't just ignore them! They-"

"Don't worry," Professor Low broke in. "The spell I used on them will keep them out long enough for me to get you two back to your sisters and then return to deal with them." Genis wasn't looking at her face, but he could hear a vile anger in Professor Low's voice. "Just leave them to me. Those scumbags aren't going to get away with this."

In any other situation, the severity of the usually soft-spoken professor's voice would have frightened Genis. But after what they did to Bianca, he could only think about how he wanted to help.

He expected Professor Low to return them to her and Raine's lab room, but she didn't. Instead, she escorted them all the way down the hallway and up the stairs to the main level. "Where is Nika?" she asked once they reached the main door. "She must be worried sick."

Genis pulled away, taking a few steps to support himself. "She was searching the administration building when I last saw her. I'll see Bianca over there. You go find Raine and tell her we're okay."

Professor Low frowned. "I hate to send you off on your own, but I don't want Raine to worry any more than she is. I'll tell her to meet back at the lab, and then come find you. Be careful- we don't know if those jerks I knocked out have pals hanging around."

The advice was something Genis had thought of but not wanted to consider. He gave a nod and took Bianca's hand, stepping to part ways. Part of him was dreading seeing her or Raine again, but he was also apprehensive of seeing Nika as well. Couldn't he just go home and climb into bed without talking to anyone?

But the chill he received as he stepped outside brought him back to his senses. Palmacosta was so close to the equator and located on the water, the temperature hardly varied even during the winter. But occasionally they'd get a slight chill that left them grateful for their normal weather. The rainy season was almost over and Genis had been hoping to see clear skies, but it was overcast and beginning to drizzle when he and Bianca stepped out. Puddles from the previous day's rain remained on the ground, and the two splashed through them wordlessly, both a little too shaken to say anything. In the end, the little girl was the one to finally speak up.

" _Nika_!"

Bianca saw her first, sitting on the steps of the administrative building, looking utterly defeated. Genis' stomach churned as he remembered their last exchange, but he saw the relief on her face when she heard her sister's voice and stumbled forward on the stairs. Within a few moments, she had met them a short distance from the building and thrown her arms around Bianca. Bianca responded with loud sobs and tears of relief.

"I was so scared, Nika! So scared!"

"You were scared? I was terrified for you! What happened? What's wrong with your wrists? You-"

Genis stopped her before she could ask too much. "Nika," he spoke, reaching a hand out, "she accidentally got caught up in something she shouldn't have. It's probably best to give her some time to rest and recover from the shock."

Despite his suggestion, Bianca began to describe her side of the story for the first time. "I-I was playing in the courtyard… and I heard them talking about… chemicals and bombs…"

"Some vandals were planning another attack for tomorrow. They decided she'd heard too much and locked her up with the intention of erasing her memory-" Genis had absentmindedly reached to scratch the back of his head, forgetting how hard he'd been hit. He winced in pain, dropping his hand to his side.

"Genis, is your head okay?" Bianca asked, turning back to face him. "They hit you hard, didn't they?"

He forced a smile, waving his hands. "Don't worry about me; I'm fine. I have a thick skull, remember? If they want to knock me out, they'll have to try harder than that."

"But…"

Bianca's voice trailed off, and she didn't get to finish her sentence before she was interrupted by her sister. But Nika wasn't talking to Bianca this time. Instead she threw her arms around Genis' shoulders and buried her face in his chest. "Oh, Genis! I'm so, so sorry! If anything ever happened to you because of us, I don't know what I'd do!"

"Hey, I'm still sick! You shouldn't-"

"And yet you still put yourself in danger for Bianca! I don't know how I could ever make this up to you-"

Genis grabbed Nika's arms, pulling them off his shoulders and stepping away enough to speak with her. "You don't have to- you don't owe me anything." His expression softened as he continued. "I'm just… sorry you had to rely on me."

Sighing, Nika pulled her arms away and returned to her sister's side. Bianca wasn't wearing a coat, so she was shivering in the night air and pressed herself closer to Nika, wrapping herself in the bottom of Nika's apron. Nika noticed and removed her scarf to place it on Bianca's shoulders. "You don't have to be sorry," she began as she made sure that the scarf was snug. "It makes me happy to be able to rely on you. I said all that because I was scared of what would happen if someday I couldn't anymore."

"Couldn't?" The statement took Genis off-guard. "Why wouldn't you be able to? I'm not going anywhere, Nika. I promise."

The smile that lit up her face looked almost melancholy. "Thank you, Genis. Forgive me, I'm just not used to having someone I love around to rely on for help. It's too nice, I just get scared thinking I might one day lose it."

A brief silence followed.

 _Someone she loves._ Love.

"…sis…" Bianca pressed closer to Nika, resting her head against her sister's side. Her gaze turned back to Genis and she pointed a finger in his direction. "I also love Genis! So you can't leave us, okay? Okay?"

The response from Bianca allowed Genis the courage to respond. "I-I… I love you too, Nika!" he blurted out, not thinking about what he was saying until it was already out of his mouth and he couldn't take it back.

 _Was that too soon? Too direct? I mean, she said it first, but not so matter-of-factly-_

Nika laughed gently, placing an arm around her sister's shoulder. "Don't worry, Bianca. I forgot who we were talking to for a moment." This seemed to be meant as a reassurance, but Bianca wasn't taking it.

"What about me? Do you love me too, Genis?"

The sudden change in the conversation's mood was a relief, and Genis couldn't help a smile as well. "Yes, Bianca, like my own little sister."

"Hooray! Did you hear that, Nika? Like his own little sis-"

" _Oh, there you are_!"

The sound of Professor Low's voice echoed off the front of the building, interrupting their conversation. Genis turned around to see her running towards them, waving her hand frantically through the haze cast by the rain. Once again, his stomach churned and he feared he might be sick. He'd been so happy about his confession to Nika, he'd forgotten about… _that_.

Professor Low caught up to them and discussed the situation with Nika for a few minutes, explaining that she'd make sure the criminals who'd hurt Bianca would face justice and would write to the Palmacosta Academy to allow the rest of the school week to be excused for Bianca as a family emergency. She didn't want to take any chances with the trauma of the situation on a young child, and Nika agreed. Nika promised to visit Genis the next morning and bring him something to help ease his cold, and he gratefully assured her that she didn't have to- but he'd look forward to it anyhow.

And with that, the sisters left to return home before the light rain worsened, leaving Genis alone with the professor.

He froze as he felt her place a hand on his shoulder.

"We should go. Raine is waiting for us, and I… need to talk to you."

Genis steeled his nerves and looked back at her. "Well, I don't know exactly what to say. So you should start talking first."

"Fair enough."

* * *

Seles wasn't able to do much while in bed, so she found herself rereading some of her and Zelos' earlier novels when she was awake. It was an odd feeling, knowing exactly what was going to happen and yet being caught up in the narrative anyway. She was about finished with chapter seventeen of _Fortissimo_ when a sharp knock on the door drew her attention.

"Knock, knock! It's the fun police!" Zelos' voice chimed. "We've been called here on account of… _insufficient funs._ "

Oh, that was a bad one. Seles didn't even look up from her book, sighing to herself as she heard Colette giggle.

"You know, Colette, if you decide that you don't want to marry my idiot brother then you can call off the wedding at any time."

"Hah!" Zelos clapped his hands, sending the noise reverberating around the room. "You sound like you're feeling better, Sis!"

Seles slid a bookmark onto her page and set the book aside, finally looking up. She caught sight of Colette holding a sleeping infant in her arms and frowned at the sight.

"Should I… ask whose baby that is?"

Colette sat down on the side of the bed, leaning over toward Seles so that she could get a better look. "This is Adora. I'm babysitting her for a little while, so we thought you might like to meet her."

"Is this for school?" Seles asked as she watched Adora begin to stir. "How much are you getting paid?"

Colette gasped. "Seles! I'm not doing this for money! This is for a friend."

"I'd still ask for money."

"Yeah," Zelos laughed, "because _you_ of all people in Meltokio need money."

"So that means I should work for free?" She gave a ' _hmph'_ and reached out to give Zelos a push. He grinned and pushed back- albeit gently, which seemed to make her angry. She shoved him a little harder, daring him to escalate his force, but Colette noticed and quickly intervened.

"Seles, would you like to hold her?"

The question surprised Seles enough to interrupt her playful assault on her brother. "Are you sure?" she ventured, sitting up straight again.

"Of course! We brought her here so that you could meet her."

"And let me tell you," Zelos offered as he watched Seles cradle the infant in her arms, "getting her past Veronica was no small feat."

"She means well." Seles moved her finger back and forth in front of Adora's face, fascinated by the way the girl's eyes followed it. "She wants to protect me from anything remotely out of the ordinary. Not unlike someone _else_ I know."

Zelos stiffened. "What are you implying? I'm not _that_ overprotective."

"Not like Miss Veronica, no, but you're protective in your own way. Don't lie to yourself, big brother." Seles shook her head and hoisted Adora into the air with a smile. Colette flinched and reached out, urging Seles to be careful and support Adora's head.

Zelos, meanwhile, was watching with a frown. "I'm not…" he began quietly, but his voice trailed off and he found himself shaking his head. "Y'know, maybe people wouldn't be so protective of you if you weren't sick in bed all the time. You ever think of that?"

The statement caused Seles to freeze where she was, Adora resting against her lap. " _Excuse me_?" she ventured. "You think I'm like this because I _choose_ to be?"

Colette, sensing conflict, scooped Adora out of Seles' lap and held her protectively. It didn't do much to help Seles' mood.

"How dare you act like you're the one put out because I'm sick? Do you think I want to be so weak that I can barely sit up without getting dizzy? That I want to be stuck in this stupid bed all day being useless? Zelos, you-"

"He didn't mean it like that," Colette interrupted. "He was just saying that we're worried about you because we care."

"Sis-" Zelos reached out for Seles' hand, but she snatched it away and he had to continue anyway. "-you can't call yourself useless. You're recovering from a serious medical procedure. That takes a lot of time and energy, and no one can-"

"This isn't about that anymore and you know it." Seles interrupted him with a shake of her head. "My recovery went just fine. Everything passed just as the doctors said it would. By this time, they said even patients who suffer minor complications are able to recover. So why… why am I still suffering? Why does my whole body ache and barely have the energy to move? I keep asking Veronica, and she says that I'm always going to have off days, but this…"

Seles was beginning to sniffle, and she cut off her sentence to maintain her composure. Zelos and Colette looked at one another in concern, unable to decide what to say.

"…I know she's just saying it to make me feel better. She's always adjusting my medication, like she's trying desperately to find something that will work. In the end, maybe there's nothing she can do. What if I'm-"

"Quit it, Seles." Zelos' voice was stern. "You can't talk like that. Veronica and the doctors are going to find something that works, and you're going to get better. You have to."

Seles frowned and looked away, turning her attention to the window instead. It was dark, and the bright lights of Meltokio glittered just beyond the windowpanes. It was a stark reminder that there was a world out there she wanted to be a part of but couldn't.

"…what are you two doing tomorrow?"

"T-tomorrow?" Colette stammered, looking to Zelos as she searched for an answer. "I mean, I have school and Zelos is going to watch Adora, but…"

"Isn't there going to be a fireworks show in Greene Park? Are you going to that?"

A brief silence followed.

"We were planning to," Zelos began, "but if you'd like to watch the fireworks from here at the manor, we can always-"

"No. I want to come with you."

Colette drew in a sharp breath, startling Adora and prompting a worried cry. "Are you sure? You were just saying how bad you feel," Colette replied as she tried to comfort Adora.

"Maybe the reason I haven't gotten better is because I haven't been trying." Seles reached out to pat Adora's head, running her fingers over the thin tufts of blue hair. "I need to learn my limits when I put my mind to it. Let me go with you to the fireworks show, please. I won't be a bother. In fact, I could keep an eye on Adora for you. She's…" A small smile passed over Seles' face. "…really cute. Her parents must have had something serious going on to allow themselves to be separated from her."

"It's my job to get her back to her parents safe and sound." Seeing Seles smile, Colette was finally able to smile again too. "I'd love to have your help with her during the fireworks show tomorrow."

Zelos wasn't convinced, but Colette had once again followed her sense of altruism without considering the consequences. It was something that both attracted him and frustrated him about her. If she wasn't so kind and accepting, she probably would never have given him a chance in the first place. And yet… gods, could she maybe think things through before jumping into them? She was so much like Lloyd!

"I'll stay by your side the whole time, Seles," Zelos spoke up. "If, at any time during the night, you start to feel sick or light-headed, you have to tell me so that we can go home right away. Deal?"

It would take some convincing, but Seles eventually agreed.

That didn't keep Zelos from worrying, though.

* * *

Professor Low sighed as she and Genis started back toward the research building.

"I understand if you're angry with me. I'm angry with myself. But if you would accept it, I'd like to offer an explanation for my actions."

Genis kept his gaze on the ground as he dodged puddles of rainwater pockmarked by the falling drizzle. "Are you going to tell me that it wasn't what it looked like?"

"That depends on what it looked like to you," was Professor Low's response. "Because if it looked like I was making out with your sister half-naked on the lab table, then it was exactly what it looked like."

Well, for all the things Genis wanted to say about Professor Low, he couldn't say she wasn't straightforward.

"Thanks for clearing that up," he scoffed. "Now I can sleep at night."

"B-but it was a mistake, Genis! You have to understand-"

"What, you _accidentally_ started taking your clothes off? Raine _accidentally_ got up on the table next to where you put the artefacts and accidentally started kissing you-"

"It was a mistake for me to suggest it. I…" Professor Low interrupted. Her voice grew frantic, and she began running her hands through her hair in frustration. "…I violated a sacred space set aside for the scientific method! Desecrated the altar at which I serve the gods of true knowledge! Forgive me, Aristotle! Forgive me, Alhazen! Forgive me, Descartes-"

Genis tugged on her lab coat. "Please stop. I really don't think Aristotle of all people has a place to criticize you. And anyway- if this was such a mistake, then why? If you've really been working all these days you've stayed late, why change it up today?"

At his insistence, Professor Low stopped talking and paused, glancing up at the clouds above her. "We had a major breakthrough today. Our generated mana levels showed up on a standard calorimeter."

The statement stopped Genis in his tracks. "R-really?!"

"Yes, really. I was so excited, I couldn't believe we'd increased the conversion rate so fast-"

"So you decided a celebration was in order?"

"No." The professor shook her head. "Actually, it was just the opposite. After we'd taken all the readings, Raine realized that three of our five scales hadn't been properly calibrated before the beginning of the experiment. As a rule, we need at least three tared scales getting statistically similar readings to consider the experiment reproducible. I trust the readings that we got, but we can't lie about the scales on the report. We're going to have to repeat the process over again."

Genis was quiet, staring in silent horror just thinking about it. He was no stranger to error in science experiments. Just the past week he'd been showing a group of students a demonstration on antibiotic resistance, but accidentally mixed the antibiotic solution too weakly and ended up with two full petri dishes instead. It hadn't been one of his proudest moments, but at least that was an experiment that had been performed time and time again, so the outcome was well-known. This was something completely different, and was a lot more important than two benign bacteria strains.

"Yikes" was all he could manage.

"Raine was in charge of calibrating the scales before the experiment, and when she realized what had happened, she felt awful. The thing was, she was distracted because she was worried about you."

"Me?"

Professor Low nodded. "Yes- so let's get out of the rain." She grabbed hold of Genis' arm and tugged him under the eaves of the research building near the back entrance. "When I suggested we try to redo the experiment tonight, she was reluctant. She insisted that she needed to get home to you. And instead of respecting her wishes, I…" The professor closed her eyes and clenched her fist in humiliation. "I thought that maybe she just needed a quick pick-me-up to get her back on track. I thought about all the times we've spent together outside of the lab, our lunchtime rendezvous and late night flings, and how happy they seemed to make her. I thought that if I could distract her from you then I could get her to redo the experiment with me tonight. And that was wrong of me."

Genis was silent at first. So they _had_ been a couple and refused to tell him. As angry as he was at Professor Low, he knew that the blame didn't fall entirely on her.

"Raine didn't look like she minded so much. It takes two, y'know."

"That's not the point. The point is that I tried to manipulate her. It was wrong to do that to her and was wrong to do that to you. And in the end, I guess I've gotten what I deserve. We didn't get to redo the experiment tonight, we got caught by the person we were wronging the most, and on top of that I now have those jerks downstairs to deal with."

Professor Low wasn't one for fancy words when they didn't have any meaning behind them. Genis knew that she wasn't saying this just to get sympathy- she was genuinely sorry. He walked to the door and opened it for her, motioning her inside.

"I'm not mad about the experiment. If I were you, I'd have wanted to redo it as soon as possible as well. I'm just… disappointed that you and Raine never told me about, er, the two of you."

"It's not right to mix professional and romantic relationships, especially when you're doing work as public and controversial as ours. I'm aware of that." The professor accompanied Genis inside, closing the door behind them. "But your sister is… the most intelligent, inquisitive, exquisite creature I've ever encount-" She cut herself off abruptly. "I-I didn't mean to say _creature_ as though it were an insult-"

Genis waved a hand. "It's a figure of speech. I get it. I'm just sad that you didn't feel like you could trust me."

"Raine also said that she wasn't sure what you would think… whatever that meant. I didn't care to pry, so I respected her call. We promised to tell everyone after the experiment was over, but you're right in that we shouldn't have hidden it from family."

At that statement, Genis realized how nervous Raine might have been to tell him about the whole deal. "I guess I can understand her nervousness," he commented. "After all, I'll be the first to admit that I never saw her ending up with a… a…"

He wasn't really sure he wanted to finish that sentence.

"…a woman?" Professor Low ventured. "You can say it."

"Huh? Oh, no, I knew that a _long_ time ago." Genis shook his head frantically. "I was gonna say a _human_."

"Oh."

They were silent as they returned to the lab room, and Professor Low gave Genis and Raine space once they were reunited. She claimed it was so that she could attend to the vandals as soon as possible, but Genis knew that her powerful spell had bought them plenty more time. It was just that she'd seemed to have said everything she needed to.

Genis had grown tall- taller even than Raine or Professor Low- but he was still Raine's "little brother," and so she carried him home on her back despite his protests. He worried about her after she had worked so hard all day, but realized that perhaps it was her way of apologizing. For everything.

He often forgot how strong Raine was. It felt really weird, getting carried by his sister when he was practically an adult himself. But after flipping back and forth between extreme temperatures earlier in the day, the simple warmth was nice. He fell asleep with his head against Raine's shoulder, one cheek warmed against her scarf and the other cooled by the gentle mist that filled the night air.


	10. Chapter 10

As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy! (Also, I finished my summer internship this Friday, so MAYBE now I can get back to posting chapters on time. Maybe.)

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 88:  
** _Is minig a bha claidheamh math an droch thruaill.  
_ Often a good sword rests in a poor scabbard.

 **10-**

"Wow, these swords are nice! Are these really standard issue?"

Lloyd found himself admiring the intricate hilt of the broadswords that Kratos and Anna carried, holding it up to the light to get a better view. Kratos tapped him on the shoulder and motioned to the sheath that had been set aside with the other supplies. "Don't swing that around inside the house."

"Who's your supplier?" Lloyd continued, though he reluctantly sheathed the weapon and set it aside. "I'd like to learn how to forge something like this."

Anna was sitting on the couch, watching the men working to inspect and pack up the weaponry that Kratos had gathered to bring with them to Meltokio. Noishe was curled up beside her with his head resting on her lap and his tail wagging contentedly. "You should ask Dirk to make that your first project at the school," she offered. "They're modeled after the _Dwarven claidheamh beag_ , which has been used in traditional Dwarven fencing for generations-"

"Oh! Speaking of which," Lloyd interrupted, sitting up straighter, "the agent told me that the paperwork would be all finished and the property would be ready for me to inspect as early as noon today. She said it was a pretty fast turnaround for a property that size- can you believe my luck?"

"I wouldn't call it luck," Kratos scoffed. "You didn't have much competition for that place. Calling it a 'fixer-upper' would be generous."

Anna giggled. "You have your work cut out for you, Lloyd sweetie."

Lloyd gave a _hmph!_ , turning his head away. "I know what I'm getting into, you guys. Sheena's been helping me with some renovation plans and I feel pretty confident that I can manage."

As he passed by the couch again, Anna threw a playful punch at his shoulder. "What's that Dwarven Vow? Confidence killed the cat?"

"Mom, that's curiosity, and that's not even a Dwarven Vow-" Lloyd responded with an identical punch toward her shoulder, but as he did so, Noishe lifted his head from Anna's lap and let out a shrill bark. Lloyd flinched and stepped away, wide-eyed. "N-Noishe? What's the big deal?"

"Aw, he's just being protective," Anna responded, petting Noishe's head and pushing him back so that he was resting on her lap again.

"Protective of what? He's seen you throw around men twice your size." Lloyd reached out- gently this time- to rest his hand on Anna's shoulder, but as soon as he got close, Noishe let out a low growl.

Anna threw her arms around Noishe's neck and nuzzled her cheek against his head. "Aww, Noishe~ don't growl at Lloyd. That's a good boy."

"That's so weird," Lloyd commented, looking down at his hand. "He's never growled at me like that. Everything seemed fine this morning. I wonder what's up."

"Noishe is an odd one," Kratos looked up from the inventory sheet he was marking to join in the conversation. "I gave up trying to figure him out centuries ago."

 _Whiiiiiiine~_

"I didn't mean that as an insult, Noishe."

Lloyd laughed, but he was cut off by a "heads up!" as Kratos tossed a gauntlet at him. He caught it, taking a step back in surprise.

"Less talking, more packing."

"Why are we the only ones working?" Lloyd retorted. "Mom's just lying around."

"Well, why should I work if I've got my two favorite boys to do it for me?"

"Mom." Lloyd moved to the other side of the room to get the matching gauntlet from Kratos. "Flattery won't get you anywhere-"

The conversation was cut off by a loud knock on the door. Noishe's ears perked up and his gaze snapped over to the front door, but Kratos responded before Noishe could go anywhere, mumbling under his breath as he did so.

"If that's Song, I _swear_ …"

Lloyd was occupied packing up the gauntlets with the others, so he didn't pay any attention until he heard Kratos call from the front door.

" _Lloyd! It's for you!"_

By the time he turned around, Anna was already sitting up and waving. "Come on in, Sheena! We were just having Lloyd help with some chores. He's all yours once Kratos decides that he's more trouble than he's worth."

" _Mom,"_ Lloyd groaned, though he ignored her and dashed over to the doorway so that he could greet Sheena with a hug. "I'm _so_ glad you're here! You're just in time to come check out my new forge! Or, forge-to-be, I guess. I can start moving stuff in at noon."

"You already finalized the deal?" Sheena stammered. "That was a fast turnaround!"

"It's a real fixer-upper," Anna offered with a playful wink, "but I'm sure dating Lloyd has given you plenty of experience in that regard."

The comment made Sheena laugh, but Lloyd took on a look of pride. "Thanks, Mom!" he chirped pleasantly, beaming until he felt Sheena tap him on the back of the head.

"That was an insult. She was taking a dig at you."

"I-I knew that!" Lloyd stammered, his face turning a bright red. "But I appreciate the sentiment regardless. And anyway, I need to finish up with this packing before-"

Kratos stepped in front of Lloyd, taking the pair of gauntlets he was holding. "I think we've exploited enough free labor out of you. You kids should go catch up. Anna and I will take it from here."

"You sure-?" Lloyd began to ask, but within a few minutes Kratos had shooed the two out the front door, giving them a farewell and thanking Lloyd for his help. Anna's voice could be heard from inside, telling them to have fun and wishing them a lovely afternoon.

Both Lloyd and Sheena were a little embarrassed by the treatment, but neither complained. It had been a little while, and a lunch date was in order to catch each other up on all the news.

And, boy, did they have a lot to discuss.

* * *

The building was in pretty bad shape considering that no building in Luin was more than five years old. According to the realtor, the building has been created as a glassblowing studio shortly after the World Regeneration by an artist from Altamira, hoping to cash in on the new tourism craze that swept Tethe'alla once Sylvarant became accessible. However, when the artist was commissioned by the king of Meltokio to create an attraction for the first anniversary of the worlds' reunion, he closed his Luin studio with the intention of reopening it once he was finished.

That never happened.

The building had been sitting vacant on the hillside for the past four years, growing less and less appealing to potential buyers as pipes rusted and wildlife moved in. Had Lloyd not noticed its potential, it might have been torn down eventually- which would be a shame, he thought, considering its unique modern-Altamiran decor and stylized exterior.

Several birds flew out when Lloyd pushed the door open, prompting Sheena to step back and frown in disgust. He, however, was pleased.

"Seems like the birds like it! That's a good sign, right?"

"Yeah," Sheena replied, "if you like being surrounded by bird nests and poop."

Lloyd had to admit, he did see a lot of bird droppings as he walked in, but he tried to stay optimistic.

"Hey, isn't bird's nest soup a delicacy in Mizuho?"

"It's true that we use cave swift nests as traditional medicine-" Sheena stepped lightly over the stained floor, suddenly wishing she'd worn more substantial shoes. "-but those are special nests found on the edges of high cliffs. Not in attics and rafters."

"But they're similar, right?" Lloyd shrugged his shoulders, turning his attention to the equipment to his right. A large furnace was built into the wall in the corner, with a supporting post to allow a hollow blowpipe to be stabilized when collecting the glass. There were no blowpipes around, but the floor was littered with beads of raw glass in various colors. Lloyd sat down on the brick edge of the furnace, leaning backwards and pulling the door to the side to examine the interior.

Sheena drew closer, a smile crossing her lips as she watched him try to contort himself to see the walls better. "How does it look?" she asked, really not sure what kind of answer to expect. He pulled himself out of the oven, rushing dirt and soot off his hands.

"Not bad. I'll have to get Dad to look at it and see if there's a better way to control the temperature when we have it burning. In the meantime-" He paused and kicked the post in front of him. "-we'll have to get rid of this."

Sheena glanced around. "There are several of them around here. We'll have our work cut out for us."

Lloyd tapped his heel against the packed-earth floor, assessing its strength. "With the right tools, digging them up shouldn't be a problem. It'll be filling the holes in the floor that might be difficult. We want the floor to be safe and sturdy."

With that statement, he began visiting the other two furnaces, examining each for their size and state of repair. Leaning into one brought him face to face with a pair of angry sparrows and he saw signs that a small mammal had been nesting in the other, but he was satisfied with how everything looked. Each examination culminated with him writing notes about his plans to clean and remodel, so Sheena went to each of the windows and pulled the curtains aside to let light in. For all the years she'd known him, she'd never seen him so engaged in writing something down. Sure, Lloyd was passionate- that was one of the reasons she was so drawn to him- but his pursuits were more or less things that he just did rather than things that required thinking and planning. This was the first time she'd seen him so diligently work and it fascinated her.

It didn't take long for Lloyd to notice her silence, and he stopped what he was doing to look over at her. "Something wrong, Sheena?"

"No. I just like watching you work. It's different."

The statement seemed to confuse Lloyd. "Is that an insult?"

"N-no! It's just that, when you're focused on writing things down like that, you look so… studious. I've never seen you like this. I like it."

She wasn't sure if she should've said that last part, considering how opposite this was of Lloyd's usual personality. Would he be offended? She opened her mouth to amend the statement, but he was already beaming with pride.

"Gee, thanks! It'll be tough, but I'm excited about how it's going to turn out."

He looked so happy, Sheena couldn't keep a smile off her face no matter how hard she tried. She was sure that she must look like some kind of lovestruck idiot, and turned her head away before Lloyd could catch on and tease her. "So what's next?"

"If you can, I'd like you to help me clean out the closets. There are several on the back wall here, and then a few in the hallway that leads to the gallery. I just need to make sure that they're all open and empty."

"Sounds good, but I'll leave evicting any sort of creatures to you."

"Fair enough."

Unlike the furnaces, the closets were free of small animals. There were some spider webs and traces of other insects, but once again Lloyd was pleased with the state of things. He was busy cleaning cobwebs out of one corner with a broom when he heard Sheena's voice from behind him, coming from the gallery.

"How about this door?"

Lloyd went to investigate and found himself surprised by what she'd found. Sheena was standing by one door that looked slightly different than the others, the knob sitting under a padlock bolted shut.

"Did the agent give you the key for this one?" she asked.

"That one? No, she never said anything. Is it locked?"

"It's definitely bolted."

"How weird. She said all the closets should be open, so I never really paid attention to any specific doors." Lloyd tugged at the bolt, but just as Sheena had said, it was locked tightly. He knelt down and examined the lock, as though trying to determine whether or not he could pick it himself. "…maybe we could break the door down…"

"A huge metal door like this? That's just asking for trouble."

"No it isn't." Lloyd shook his head, stepping to the side and waving his arms out. "You could just summon Efreet and- _boom!_ \- melt the door into a metal puddle!"

Sheena buried her face in her palm. "I think that's one of the worst ideas you've ever come up with- and that's saying something."

Lloyd gave a little chuckle. It was clear he hadn't been serious, but he always appreciated Sheena taking him seriously. "Yeah, I didn't exactly expect you to agree to that. But maybe Efreet could just… burn the lock off?"

Hearing a more logical idea encouraged Sheena to give it some thought. "Efreet's power seems like it'd do too much damage, doesn't it? If I was going to summon a spirit to unlock the door, I'd just summon Gnome. It's metal, so he could use his earth powers to unlock it for us without breaking anything."

"Genius!" Lloyd clapped his hands in approval. "That's why you're the smart one in this relationship."

"That's not hard to do, given the competition." Sheena rolled her eyes, but she reached into her robe where she kept her talismans, wondering whether or not she was really going to summon one of the world's most powerful beings just to unlock a door for them. Knowing Gnome, he'd probably be dismissive of the whole idea… but of all the spirits, he'd probably be one of the more forgiving.

She stepped back and took a deep breath.

" _I call upon the servant of Mother Earth. I summon thee, come Gnome!"_

The ground beneath them shook as the aura of the spirit filled the room and Sheena began calling instructions before Gnome mistook the call for a battle summons and destroyed the place.

"Great Gnome, I ask you, please use your power over metal to disable the bolt on this door!"

It took a moment to get a response, but finally the sound of a high-pitched laughter punctuated the air.

" _Really, now, you're calling on the power of a summon spirit for_ this _? Unlocking a door so you kids can play hanky-panky in the basement?"_

Sheena's face flashed red. "Th-that's not-"

"Basement?" Lloyd interrupted, more concerned about that part of Gnome's statement than the accusation. "There's a _basement_?"

" _Of course, even this is better than making a pact with someone and then never being summoned for FOUR-THOUSAND YEARS. I mean, not that I'm bitter or anything. Just make sure that next time you call me, it's for something cool, 'kay?"_

With that, Gnome's presence began to dissipate and finally disappeared from the room altogether. Sheena sighed in relief, having expected much worse than some light teasing. Lloyd, however, was already throwing the door open and looking down into the darkness behind it.

"A staircase! It _is_ a basement! I don't believe this!" He was practically jumping with excitement. "Do you know what this means? Part of this building is _underground!_ We could build a _real_ Dwarven forge here!"

"Don't get too excited just yet." Sheena placed a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. "Let's use the remaining daylight to finish surveying the main floor. Then after dinner we can get some lanterns and find out what's down those stairs. Okay?"

Lloyd bit his lip. The impatience was killing him, but he knew that she was right.

"Okay. Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Seles' friends were overjoyed to see her out of the house for once. Her presence at the park that evening drew a small crowd, mostly fellow aristocrats she'd met at parties and sporting events.

"How've you been, Seles? It feels like it's been ages since we've had coffee together. "Wow, Seles, that dress is gorgeous! Who made it? I want one like it!" "You look so thin, Seles. Have you been eating?" "How's life without an appendix treating you, Seles? Can I see the scar where they took it out?"

"You may _not_." Of all the questions coming her way, Seles chose to answer the easiest first. "And if you ever ask me such a question again, Trevor, I'll cut you off my New Year's cards list."

The way she held her head and waved her fan as she said it made it clear she was joking, and the whole group had a laugh. Zelos knew everyone she was talking with too, but he stayed to the side and simply watched. To tell the truth, he felt a little out of place at this event. He wanted to stay with Seles, but he knew that he'd get chewed out if he started to hover. He wanted to spend time with Colette, but with Adora in tow, the sight of the three of them might inspire some undesirable rumors. He needed some unaffiliated person to hang out with, just to tie them all together. If he could only find-

 _There!_ Zelos would recognize that hair anywhere!

"Yo! What's up, Yuan? What are you doing at a place like this?"

Yuan was milling about in the crowd with another half-elf man at his heels that Zelos didn't recognize. They must've been together, however, because both of them immediately turned upon hearing Zelos' voice. The other half-elf spoke up first.

"There you are! We've been looking fo-"

Yuan butted in before the man could finish. " _Well,_ fancy meeting you here, Zelos. What's the most popular man in Meltokio doing all alone on a night like this? I thought every lady here would be clamoring to be your date."

"I'm sorry to disappoint them, but they'll have to clamor for some other man. I _have_ a date- she's gone off the get some refreshments." He brushed a few strands of hair away from his face. "In the meantime, who's _your_ date here?"

"Ah, that's right. You haven't met Song, have you?" Yuan motioned over to his friend. "This is my buddy and business partner, Song Lu."

"Lu, huh? The Lu family has a long history of involvement in Tethe'allan medical research. It's an honor to meet you. I'm Zelos Wilder-"

"I _know_ who you are." Song grabbed Zelos' hand and eagerly pumped it up and down. "And wowza! Might I say, you are _way_ prettier in-person than you are in pictures?"

Zelos forced a smile. "Uh, th-thanks. I'll admit, I'm not used to taking sincere compliments from guys, but you seem pretty genuine."

"Oh, buddy, am I ever!" Song gave a wink. "Lemme tell ya, if I were ten years younger, those ladies clamoring for your attention would have some competition."

The statement caused Zelos to pause, trying not to grimace. "... _thanks._ But I _have_ a date and you seem quite happy with Yuan here-"

"It's not like that," Yuan interrupted, waving one hand dismissively. "But speaking of your date, I heard through the grapevine that Colette has started a babysitting business. Is that a fact?"

"Grapevine?" Zelos raised an eyebrow, a knot of concern growing in his stomach. Were rumors flying that fast? "What sorta grapevine are we talking about?"

"Kratos."

 _Oh._ "Well, that makes sense. He's a pretty reliable source these days." With a smile and a gesture back in the direction he'd come from, Zelos started to lead the two men to where he'd agreed to meet Colette. "You guys wanna come see the little tyke? She's pretty cute, and a really playful thing to boot. I've never seen a baby with more charm." Not to mention that having a couple of half-elves around would make Adora seem less out of place, and Zelos could play with her to his heart's content. Score!

"Of course!" Song chimed. "We were hoping to-"

Yuan stepped in front of Song. " _Well,_ if you're so eager to show her off, we could take a peek. You seem quite, uh, _fond_ of her."

Was it Zelos' imagination, or did Yuan sound a little… pissed-off? "What, you don't like babies?" he asked with a smirk.

Yuan offered a deadpan expression as he followed.

"No, Zelos. I just don't like _you."_


	11. Chapter 11

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. (I _am,_ however, qualified to tell you all about karst landscapes and how GREAT they are, so you're in for a treat this week.) _Please_ enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 70**  
 _An rud is fhiach a ghabhail, 's fhaich e iarraidh._  
If it's worth taking, it's worth asking for.

11-

Lloyd kept close to the railing as he descended the staircase to the basement. The walls here had an unfinished look to them, and as he and Sheena moved deeper, they could feel the temperature dropping and see condensation collecting on the rock around them. Finally, Lloyd came to a flat surface at the bottom of the metal stairs and held a hand up to help Sheena down.

"This is really odd," she commented as she took his hand, busy examining what was illuminated by their combined lanterns. "It looks more like a cave than a basement."

"I think it _is_ a cave that they dug an entrance to," Lloyd replied. He let go of her hand and turned around, waving the lantern to get a better look. "They've widened it in some places, and it looks like they've leveled the floor, but- oh, there! You can see some cave formations!"

He ran over to the far wall where the underground room narrowed and a few passageways could be seen trailing off into other directions. There were some stalactites hanging over a shallow pool of water that had gathered on a terrace. Sheena let him worry about that while she inspected the passageways nearby, both appearing too small for a person to squeeze through. "I wonder how this cave got here," she spoke aloud, more to herself than to Lloyd, but he answered anyway.

"The ground beneath Luin and the surrounding area is riddled with caves like this. It's likely that a lot of the cave systems are interconnected. I think Dad called areas like this a carv- no…" He paused briefly as he thought. "... _karst_. It's where rainwater trickles down through the ground and hollows out caverns in the rock. Lake Sinoa is where a cave actually collapsed into a sinkhole and filled with water. That's where the name Sinoa comes from- _tsun'ot,_ or _cenote,_ which means 'spring."

Sheena stared in disbelief. "How do you know all this?"

"Well, Dad taught me all about different kinds of caves." Lloyd scratched the back of his head sheepishly, not expecting to be praised. "But it was Mom who told me about Luin and its history with Dwarves. In the distant past, Dwarves came to the surface in Luin to trade and communicate with humans. But after the Kharlan War and the splitting of the world, Dwarves kept their distance from the surface. Only a few Dwarves remained in Luin. Mom's great-great grandmother was a half-Dwarf, but when she was growing up there were only two or three Dwarves living aboveground… and they were forced to work for Cruxis just like Altessa in Tethe'alla."

Sheena listened to his story with rapt attention. "I see. How did Dirk manage to escape working for Cruxis?"

Lloyd shifted his weight as he thought over how to answer the question. "To tell the truth, I'm not sure. Dad doesn't really talk about his past before he met me. I mean, he talks about a family, so I know he had sisters he played with, and a dad who was a blacksmith, and a grandmother who baked _really great_ pies… and I think he mentioned something about a wife once, but didn't give any details, and I didn't want to be nosy…" He stopped and waved the lantern he was holding. "I mean, when I say I can talk to my dad about anything, it's true! He's great! But there are certain things that I want to wait and let him tell me on his own rather than demanding it from him. He's given me so much already-"

"I understand," Sheena interrupted. "It's the same way in Mizuho. There used to be many ninja villages around Tethe'alla, but they were all lost. We celebrate our traditions because it's our link to what makes us _us_ , but at the same time, many elders are reluctant to talk about the way things used to be. Even my grandfather- his great aunt came from another ninja village called Shirokago that was lost to a horrible fire- doesn't like to talk too much about the way things used to be."

Lloyd was quiet for a while. "It's hard to talk about the way things were, isn't it?" he finally asked. "When you've lost something important to you, you can ignore it and be satisfied with just a numb feeling. But then you start talking about it, and all those feelings of loss come crashing back down."

Sheena nodded mutely, thinking it over. Lloyd had certainly said it more eloquently than she could have. Perhaps there was some truth to that Dwarven Vow he liked so much- _often wise words come from a fool's mouth._

The sound of water trickling along an underground stream somewhere far into the cave could be heard, alongside the dripping of water off stalactites onto the cave floor and into the terrace pool. There was a serenity to the underground atmosphere that Sheena found both fascinating and unnerving. It was no wonder Dwarven culture was so distinct, considering the kind of world they lived in- and how much of a sacrifice it must have been for Dirk to give up that life and live on the surface for Lloyd's sake.

"Sheena?" Lloyd's voice finally broke the silence between them. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, of course not." Sheena shook her head. "I was actually just thinking about how well you put it. And even that _numb_ feeling you described is tough to shake. I guess that's why people who've lost a lot in the past cling so desperately to what they have and refuse to take risks, even if those risks might help a lot of people…"

Lloyd was absentmindedly nodding as he listened to her, but as her voice trailed off, he froze and a look of realization passed over his face. She wanted to ask what he was thinking about, but he started to speak before she could.

"Sheena… that's it. That's it! Of course Dad doesn't want to teach Dwarven skills to people outside his family. It's a painful reminder of the world he left behind."

"That's-" Sheena's voice cut off as soon as she began. She'd been talking about the people of Mizuho's attitude towards new ideas from the outside world, but it was true that the sentiment could apply to individuals as well as groups. "-that… might be right."

"It's no wonder I couldn't change his mind before. I was going about it the wrong way. It's not about whether or not outsiders _deserve_ to learn Dwarven culture, or even whether the outside world needs to preserve our Dwarven heritage at all. It's Dad's own feelings that are the obstacle." Lloyd closed his eyes in frustration. "How could I have been so stupid not to see that? I was too dense to notice- and yet he gave me a second chance anyway."

"That's a sign that your dad really loves you." Sheena moved closer to place a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "That, and he trusts your judgement even despite his own worries."

A gentle smile spread across Lloyd's face as he thought it over. "Dad made me promise not to give up. He wouldn't have done that unless he really thought I was capable of understanding his feelings. And thanks to you, I finally realized it. Thank you, Sheena." He took a step away and shook his head to clear the air of negativity that had been surrounding him. "That's it, then! He's counting on me to express my feelings to him to ease his own worries. I'm going to do it- to assure him that we're not moving forward to leave the past behind, but to ensure there's a _future_ for our past!"

Sheena was amazed once again by his words. "A future for our past?"

"Does that, uh, make sense? I kinda just make up words as I go-"

"N-no!" She shook her head. "That actually sounds like what the people of Mizuho need to hear!"

"You think so?" Lloyd asked.

"I know so! We do everything we can to preserve our way of life. But sometimes the best thing you can do to preserve your heritage is to bring it forward into the modern world. It's not just the customs and crafts that make a culture, it's the people. And to preserve that culture, you have to make a world that's the best place possible for those people!"

She had gotten so worked up speaking that she'd almost forgotten to breath. Once Sheena finished her sentence, she had to stop and catch her breath, her hurried gasps fogging up the panes of her lantern. Lloyd was staring, but he finally placed his lantern on the ground so that he could cover his mouth with both hands as he laughed.

"It's amazing what we can learn just throwing around pretty words, huh?"

Sheena had to crack a smile. "Pretty words indeed."

At the sound of her reply, Lloyd's laughter died down, the expression on his face turning into a smirk. "Yeah, but not as pretty as y-" he began as he leaned in, though Sheena tapped a finger against his mouth to stop him.

"Don't even think about-"

- _finishing that sentence'_ were going to be her next words, but she got cut off just as fast as she'd cut off Lloyd. Except it wasn't his finger he'd pressed to her lips.

Surprised by the kiss, Sheena didn't reciprocate at first. Noticing this, Lloyd quickly broke away with a worried look on his face. But Sheena used the moment of freedom to place her own lantern on the floor and tackle him in an embrace, returning his initial kiss and then some.

Lloyd's movements were giddy as he wrapped his arms around her waist and twirled her around, not even bothering to break the kiss. The two stumbled clumsily to the side without realizing it until they brushed up against the basement wall, and while the impact caused them to break apart, it was only enough to laugh a little at the situation. Within moments, Sheena had turned so that her back was against the wall and pulled Lloyd closer, so that he was almost leaning over her.

Lloyd broke from the initial kiss into smaller, quicker kisses that he trailed along the edge of her lips up to her cheek. Sheena giggled, both in eager amusement and in response to the ticklish sensation of the rough stubble along his chin. She wouldn't admit that she enjoyed the feeling- not after only a month ago she scolded him for looking messy and told him to " _either grow a traditional Dwarven beard or shave properly_." But it was possible that her laughter gave her away, and she could feel the smile on Lloyd's lips as he continued along her cheek and down to her ear.

She shivered as his lips trailed across her earlobe around the base of her earring. Damn- he was taking advantage of her weakness, and she wasn't going to let that go unpunished! She waited for him to pause and then pulled away so that she could kiss at his neck, trailing down to where she could feel his collarbone under the fabric of his shirt. Sheena noted with satisfaction the way his grip on her waist tightened when she did so, and the feeling of his hands beginning to wander piqued her curiosity.

" _You're a strong woman,"_ Zelos' words echoed in her mind, " _if you want a piece of him, you go get it._ " Never had she been so eager to take advice from Zelos of all people, but she supposed there was no harm in making tonight a night of firsts.

As if reading her thoughts- or, more likely, having similar thoughts of his own- Lloyd's hands settled on the sash that held her tunic in place, tugging at the bow in an attempt to untie it. His hands fumbled with the knot and Sheena could tell he was struggling, so she reached for his hands to guide him.

But the moment she did so, something hit her on the head and brought her back to her senses.

One of the drops of water that was constantly falling from the ceiling had hit Sheena on the side of her head, offering a reminder of their surroundings. That's right, they were in a _cave-basement_. The fervor of the moment had almost made her forget how cold, dark, clammy, and generally uncomfortable the place was.

 _Oh no. We're not doing this here of all places._

"Lloyd, stop."

At the sound of her voice and the feeling of her hands on his, Lloyd's whole body went stiff. He abruptly took a step back, holding up his hands to keep his distance. Even in the dim light of the lanterns, it was obvious how red his face had turned.

"I-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean t-to-" Lloyd began to stammer, choking on his words. "-I-I mean, I shouldn't have-"

"It's okay," Sheena responded. "I just thought… if we're finished here, we should go back to your place."

"R-right! That's right!" Lloyd straightened out his coat and smoothed the collar of his shirt as he began to collect himself. "It's getting late, and I was planning to go to Meltokio tomorrow, so I still have to pack up my things. We'll come back here soon and get the layout- the important thing is just knowing it's here."

His speech had steadied, but he stumbled as he walked back toward the staircase. Sheena followed, a little nervous that she'd offended him. But the likelihood was, he was simply embarrassed to have gotten so carried away in a place like this. She was too. But it would've been even more embarrassing and uncomfortable had they actually continued.

"Let's get somewhere warm and dry," she said as she made it up the staircase, stepping back out into the main building, "and then we can… _pick up where we left off_."

It might've just been a trick of the lantern-light, but Sheena could swear she saw a surprised- and pleased- glint in Lloyd's eyes as she said this.

"Huh? Really?"

"As long as you're up for it. I don't…" She glanced away with a blush. "...think it would be bad to try something new."

" _Yeah!_ " Lloyd answered, though he seemed embarrassed by his sudden burst of excitement and quickly dialed back his enthusiasm. "I-I mean... if you say so!"

* * *

Colette returned to the meeting place holding Adora in one arm and balancing a tray and two drinks on her other. Anyone who knew her would realize immediately that this was a disaster waiting to happen, and as soon as Zelos spotted her, he ran to her side.

"Hey! I _told_ you to let me babysit while you went to get snacks! Geez- you're gonna spill lemonade all over the poor little thing!"

"S-sorry. I didn't want to leave you with her, but… I should've thought this through." Colette couldn't help a giggle as she watched Zelos ignore the funnel cake and go straight for Adora, hoisting the girl into the air and twirling her around with a smile. Every time she saw Zelos playing so lovingly with Adora, her heart just melted. Had her hands not been full she would've run to hug him, but she figured it was for the best that she didn't ruin the moment.

Unfortunately, that job went to someone else.

" _Don't swing her around like that!"_

A sharp yell broke through the moment, and caused Zelos to pause long enough for Yuan to grab onto his arms. Zelos let out a yelp and Adora mimicked him, but she seemed to be more curious than upset.

"A five-week old infant still needs her head supported," Yuan continued, stepping back once he was satisfied with Zelos' grip. "Her skull is still soft- you could hurt her brain. Don't you ever _think_ before you do anything?"

Zelos was almost stunned into silence. Yuan was the last person he'd expected to lecture him on how to hold a baby.

"Oh, I'm sorry, _Mister Daycare,_ " Zelos responded with forced pleasantness. "Would _you_ like to take over from here?" He extended his arms to offer Yuan the chance to take Adora, not expecting him to actually do it. But Yuan seemed genuinely surprised for a brief moment before he scooped up the girl and held her close to his chest.

"After that display? Any sane person would want to take over just to get her out of your dangerous hands."

"Y-Yuan, Zelos didn't mean any harm. He was being gentle, just trying to have a little fun with her." Colette broke in between the two, holding up the tray she'd brought with a nervous smile. "Uh, would you and Song like to share some of our funnel cake?"

She had barely finished the offer as Song began to hover over the tray. "Ooh, don't mind if I do-" he began, making a grab for one of the crispy edges, but froze as he heard Yuan's voice.

"Thanks, Colette, but I'm not hungry."

The statement made Song snap to attention, and he backed away with a sheepish giggle. "Uh, y-yeah. We actually just had a big dinner, so I shouldn't. Thanks for the offer, though."

" _Song, you can have some,"_ Yuan murmured, sending a pointed glance between his friend and the tray.

" _No way, man. Not if you're not gonna."_

" _It looks good, though. Don't you like funnel cakes?_ "

" _Yeah, but I'm really not hungry. Honest!"_

" _Suit yourself."_

Zelos listened to the conversation with interest, noting the way Song's voice changed depending on Yuan's responses. He was starting to get a feel for this guy, and it was an amusing situation indeed.

"Hey, I hate to make you guys stand around like this. Why don't we go sit on those benches over there?" Zelos motioned and began walking toward the spot he'd picked out. Colette followed at his heels and she waved for Song and Yuan to come along as well. Once Zelos was sure they were following with Adora in tow, he leaned over to whisper to Colette under the guise of taking the drinks for her.

"Don't look now," he whispered with a smirk, "but I think Pinky over there has a thing for the Brain."

Colette gave him a confused look. "Who has a what?"

Zelos groaned, disappointed that he couldn't have gotten a laugh or at least a scolding out of her. "It's an old comic book reference. I'll explain later."

Song, hearing the last bit of Zelos' sentence, ran ahead to join him. "Did you say you liked comic books, Zelos? Which ones do you read? Do you have the latest issue of _The Flip Side?_ "

"I-I'm sorry, I think you misunderstood," Zelos waved his hands dismissively. "I liked comic books when I was, like, _ten_. I've never heard of whatever you just said. Is that new?"

"It's on issue 52 now, with a fully illustrated novel coming out in March. You should pick it up sometime! It's really good! That, and _Demon Genome Project_ just came off hiatus-"

"Yeah, sounds cool and all, but I'm really not feeling it. Sorry." Zelos found a seat on the bench and waved to Colette. She sat down beside him, and Yuan on the other side of her. The three of them filled up the bench, so Song hovered behind them, leaning on the back of the bench instead. Zelos could feel him staring enviously at the funnel cake, so he took a big bite, pausing a moment to visibly savor it- just trying to piss off Song if nothing else. But it didn't get the reaction he was hoping for, so he turned to offer Colette a bite out of the middle with lots of powdered sugar; her favorite.

She eagerly accepted and Zelos allowed her to finish before reaching up to wipe the powdered sugar from around her lips. "Careful there, love. You're almost as messy with this as Adora."

"Sorry," Colette giggled, "it's just so much sugar, you can't help it."

"That's what makes it so good." Zelos grinned and pulled another bit from the middle of the cake. "And speaking of Adora- Yuan, pass her over to Colette. I'll bet she'd love to try some of this."

Adora let out a surprised yelp as Yuan responded by pulling her closer to his chest and away from Zelos. "Oh _no._ You're _not_ feeding her that. Her teeth haven't even come in yet."

 _This again_? Zelos wondered if Yuan was just trying to mess with him. "What's the deal?" he asked, pushing the fork closer. "It's soft."

"It's nothing but grease and sugar," Yuan shot back. "There's no nutritional value."

"Since when are _you_ of all people worried about nutrition, Mister _I'd-eat-barley-rice-for-every-meal-if-I-could_?"

"You leave my preferences out of this! Adora is a growing child. She doesn't need inept babysitters stuffing her full of junk."

" _Inept_?! Colette and I have been doing fine taking care of her so far. We don't need criticism from someone who just wants to piss me off-"

"What I want is for Adora to get the proper care she deserves-"

"And why are you even bothering with some kid you don't know? I never saw you as one to get up in arms about childcare-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Song butted in, leaning over the back of the bench. "Hey, Zelos, I just remembered! You have a sister, right? I heard about her from some people at the hospital- that she's dating one of the doctors there. Hazel Karim, right? Are those two here now? Can I meet them?"

The sudden change of subject threw Zelos off. "You… what do you do at the hospital? I thought Colette said you were a potter or something."

" _Ceramics artisan_ ," Song corrected. "And yes, but I volunteer at the hospital sometimes. Gotta keep those skills in practice so that my medical license doesn't lapse. You never know when that'll come in handy."

"Zelos, why don't you take Song to go meet Seles?" Colette reached out and tugged on Zelos' sleeve. "It'd be an excuse to check on her and make sure she's doing alright. I can stay here with Adora."

It seemed more of an order than a suggestion, so Zelos gave a resigned sigh. No doubt his and Yuan's arguing back and forth was grating on Colette's nerves, especially considering she was sitting between them. Maybe Song was trying to break up the argument too- though he picked an awfully _convenient_ time to break in…

"Alright, fine." Zelos sighed, standing up and setting his lemonade back on the bench where he'd been. "We'll go check on Seles to make sure she's doing alright, and we'll come right back. Don't eat all the cake without me, 'kay Colette?"

Zelos had expected a barrage of questions from Song as soon as they were far enough away, but he was strangely silent. Zelos glanced back at Song in curiosity, wondering whether or not he should try to make friendly conversation. He had, after all, just been fighting with Yuan, and the tension of the argument was still in the air surrounding them.

"So, uh, Doctor Lu…" Zelos began tentatively, "...how did you and Yuan meet?"

"Yuan and me? Oh, that was pretty crazy, come to think of it. I was in one of Meltokio's back alleys looking for some discarded objects to use in an art display, and Yuan happened to come by getting rid of some trash. He didn't realize I was in the dumpster and just tossed it right in- _splat_! Month-old banana pudding, right on my head!" Song laughed, shaking his head as though he were trying to dislodge some imaginary substance. "He wasn't particularly sorry, which was fair since I really wasn't supposed to be there, but as an apology he let me use his bath and lent me some clothes. We've been buddies ever since!"

Zelos couldn't suppress an amused snort. "I should've figured something like that was the case. Guess even the high-and-mighty Yuan isn't above feeding a stray dog every now and again, even if it's a dog he found in a dumpster."

It was meant to be an insult, but Song was surprisingly receptive. "You get it!" he chimed, clapping his hands. "Yuan's the best! Though I feel like I'm more of a cat person, y'know?" He tilted his head and flicked his wrist. " _Mrrow_."

"..." Zelos felt his face go pale in disgust. "P-please don't ever meow at me again."

"Ah. You more of a dog person?"

"I'm more of a random-dudes- _not_ -making-animal-sounds-at-me person."

"Fair enough," Song replied with a shrug. "I guess it's an acquired taste."

"And how exactly would one _acquire_ such a-?"

Zelos didn't get to finish his sentence, as he was cut off by the sound of his name being yelled from the other side of the path. He stopped short, recognizing its source immediately- and not at all pleased by the note of panic in the man's voice.

" _Zelos! Oh, thank gods, there you are!_ "

"Trevor? What's going on?" Zelos ran up to meet the man halfway. "Where's-?"

"Seles passed out! Like, she said she was feeling dizzy, so we had her sit down and drink some juice, but a couple minutes later she was just out like a light! Nearly fell off the bench!"

Zelos' whole body went stiff as he tried to keep a look of panic from taking over his face. He cursed under his breath- both at his sister's recklessness and his own inability to stand his ground on the subject of her health. He turned to Song and grabbed his wrist.

"Well, don't just stand there looking shocked! You're a doctor, right? Come help us out!"

Sure, maybe an _ex_ -doctor turned potter who made a hobby of dumpster diving wasn't Zelos' first choice to treat his sister, but in a situation like this, he didn't have time to be choosy. He dragged Song and Trevor with him down the path, not bothering to say anything else. They'd either have to keep up or be left behind.


	12. Chapter 12

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 119:**  
 _Na innis do run do d'charaide gorach, no do d'namhaid glic._  
Don't confide in a foolish friend or a wise enemy.

 **12-**

"I'm really sorry about Zelos." Colette spoke up once the two men were out of earshot. "He's not usually this… _confrontational_. I think babysitting for the first time has awakened some sort of deeply-rooted paternal instinct in him."

"You don't have to apologize for him, Colette." Yuan turned his head away. "Besides, tossing her around and feeding her junk food isn't what I'd consider _paternal_."

Colette offered a sheepish smile. "Maybe not, but I think it's just his way of showing affection. I remember when Lloyd and I were young, not everyone in Iselia agreed with how his dad would discipline him. I used to sneak out some nights and bring him food just in case he forgot some of the Dwarven Vows and didn't get dinner. But even though Dirk's methods were strict, we never doubted that he loved Lloyd. Different people's love comes across in different ways, and Zelos just has a very… _Zelos-ish_ way of showing his."

Yuan let out a skeptical ' _hmph_ ' and turned his attention back to Adora, who was reaching up to grab ahold of his hair. He tucked his bangs behind his ear to keep them out of her reach with a softly spoken "no, that's mine."

Colette giggled. "Adora seems very comfortable with you, though. Normally it takes a while for her to warm up to someone like this. She must really like you… or at least, really like your hair."

"I get that a lot," Yuan responded, "though usually not from babies."

"Come to think of it, her hair is almost the same color, isn't it? You two are matching!"

The statement caused an odd expression to pass over Yuan's face. He looked away briefly before turning back to Colette with an uneasy glance. "...is that your way of saying all half-elves look alike?"

"What? _N-no!_ Of course not!" she spluttered, waving her hands so quickly that she almost knocked over the cups of lemonade and had to pause to steady them. "I just thought- er, nevermind. I'm sorry I mentioned it."

"It's alright. I know you didn't mean anything by it. For a moment I thought I was talking to Zelos." Yuan shook his head. "Hanging around Zelos too much is bad for me, I think. I have to remember that there's a Chosen who _actually cares_ about others' feelings."

The statement gave Colette pause, and she shifted her weight uncomfortably. "I'd prefer it if you didn't call me the Chosen… and remembered that I _do_ love Zelos."

After she said that, the silence between them felt like a sort of tension that didn't want to be disturbed. A person standing in the park's amphitheater was beginning to give some sort of speech, but Colette couldn't quite make it out. She knew there was going to be some sort of musical performance before the fireworks, but she wasn't interested. This evening just wasn't going according to plan at all.

At some point the talking stopped and the sound of a string quartet filled the park. Colette assumed that Yuan was listening to it and enjoying it, but a few minutes after it began, she felt him nudge her arm.

"Colette, can I ask you something?"

"Huh? Yes, of course. What is it?"

"When you found Adora, she was…" There was a slight pause in his voice before he continued. "... _sick_ , right?"

"Where did you hear that?"

"Kratos told me."

"How did he-?" Colette stopped halfway through her question as she answered it herself. "-oh, Lloyd must have told him! Yes, she was very sick. Raine called it tracheal stenosis. It was something about her throat, where she couldn't get enough air into her lungs."

Yuan nodded. "And what do you intend to do now that she's alive and healthy? Are you going to adopt her?"

"No, I'm going to do my best to help find her parents."

"Why?"

The question caused Colette to sit up straighter, staring at Yuan in surprise. "Because they must be worried about her, of course! We have to get her back as soon as possible."

"But do you really think returning Adora to her parents is the best option for her?" A clouded expression passed over his face. "What kind of _sick, twisted person_ would shut their own child in a box and _leave_ her?"

Colette didn't have to think hard about her answer. "I don't believe her own parents would do that to her."

"And what if you find out they did? What then?"

"...that's…" Colette fumbled for words.

"What if her parents are unfit to raise her?" Yuan continued. "What if you find out they werethe ones who buried her alive and should never be trusted with a _goldfish_ , much less a child? Or what if they're _dead_? What will you do-?"

" _I don't know!_ "

Colette's answer was louder than she'd intended, and it seemed to surprise Yuan into silence. Adora began to whine and he pulled her closer to his chest, gently rocking her until her cries subsided.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have forced those kinds of questions onto you. Of course you wouldn't know."

"It's not as if I haven't thought about it." Colette shook her head, staring down into her lap where she was wringing her hands. "When we found her, I jumped so quickly into action, I didn't think about my own situation. Zelos and I… well, we're in no position to be parents. Not yet, at least."

Adora let out another little cry- noticing the tension in Yuan's posture, Colette assumed. She could tell he was biting his tongue at the way she spoke of Zelos. Even Kratos, who'd never been fond of Zelos to start with, at least begrudgingly accepted their relationship. But Yuan had always quietly disapproved of them, not once offering any kind of congratulations or support. Colette wasn't particularly close to Yuan, but she did owe him a lot, and it hurt.

"But Professor Low mentioned that, if we can't find her a home, she'll have to be turned over as a ward of the state. That's not something I'd wish on any child."

"I see." Yuan nodded his head and Colette could swear his hold on Adora tightened ever so slightly. "But you have to wonder, is that better than being with parents who put her in a box?"

Back to this again. Colette let out a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding. " _Why_ are you so convinced that her parents were the ones who abandoned her? I can't imagine that her parents wouldn't love her. And she deserves to be with people who love her, don't you think?"

Yuan was quiet a moment. "I wouldn't be so quick to say that. You can't deny that people have done some terrible things in the name of love. It's no excuse for something as horrendous as this."

"B-but… you can't really be _that_ cynical! Adora _needs_ -"

She was cut off by a voice calling their names from across the path. Song shoved his way through the crowd that was beginning to settle on the benches and seats. The sky was darkening and the fireworks would be beginning soon, but Colette didn't see Zelos anywhere. Song had to pause and catch his breath once he reached the bench. It took a moment, but when he finally spoke up, his first words were "don't freak out."

"What?" Colette asked, leaning closer in concern.

"Don't freak out. Everything's under control. Zelos had to take his sister home- but he said he'd come right back once he got her in bed."

"Seles!" Colette gasped. "Is she okay? What happened? Did she-?"

"She passed out, but I looked her over and couldn't find anything physically wrong with her. Her friends'd had her drink some juice when she started feeling dizzy, so it wasn't an issue of low blood sugar. She was just tired, I think."

"Poor Seles! And she was so looking forward to this." Colette closed her eyes, suppressing a sniffle. "I have to go back too, to make sure she's okay. Thank you guys for spending time with us-"

"No, no, no, no!" Song grabbed her shoulders as she tried to stand, shoving her back onto the bench. "Zelos was very clear- he's coming back right away so the two of you can enjoy the fireworks together. He didn't want to miss this opportunity with you. I know hanging out with a couple of old guys might not be your idea of fun, but for Zelos' sake, will you stay? Just until he gets back, and then you two can go enjoy yourselves however you want."

Colette could swear she heard Yuan mutter " _you are_ not _old_ ," but he didn't openly object to the situation. She sighed, glancing over to the amphitheater where the music had finally stopped. At this rate, the fireworks could begin any minute. By the time Zelos got back, they'd be over! But Song was being so nice about the whole thing, and Adora seemed really content with Yuan, so maybe…

"Alright, then." Colette sighed and scooted over a little to make room for Song on the bench. "Thank you for keeping me company while Zelos is away."

The fireworks were beautiful, as always was the case with Meltokio's spectacles. Colette had expected Adora to be bothered by the noise, but when she looked over in surprise at the girl's silence, she noticed that Yuan had adopted an odd sort of posture, holding her head against his upper chest with his hand covering one ear and the other muffled against his shirt. Adora's eyes were closed and she looked awfully content the way her lips pursed open with each breath she inhaled. It was a heartwarming sight, and Colette briefly wondered where Yuan had gotten his childcare experience. But the fireworks soon distracted her and the thought was forgotten.

The show ended with a finale that left Colette's ears ringing. She was so caught up in a daze of residual light and sound, she almost didn't hear someone call her name from the crowd that was beginning to disperse.

"Miss Brunel! I'm so glad to see you! Would you do me a big favor?"

Colette stood up, finding herself approached by a fellow teacher from the grammar school. The woman had her hands full with several shopping bags, and Colette had to force herself to pay attention to her instead of trying to see what exactly she was carrying. "Mrs. Sanderson? I'd be happy to help you out. What do you need?"

The woman held up a couple of the bags with an apologetic expression. "Oh, you're an angel. You said that you live near the Southside Bakery, right? Would you be willing to deliver this almond flour to them on your way home tonight? My sister works there, and said they'll need extra for the events on Sunday, so I picked some up for her. But it's gotten late, and it's so out of my way-"

"I'd be happy to deliver it!" Colette chimed with a smile. "The bakery is just around the corner from my house. It's totally on my way home."

"Really? That's such a relief! Thank you!"

The two women stayed and chatted for a few minutes before Mrs. Sanderson realized how late it was and bade farewell to Colette. The revelation also made Colette realize how close the bakery was to closing, and she hurried back to the bench where Yuan and Song were waiting.

"I'm sorry- I know I said I was going to wait for Zelos, but the fireworks are over, and I need to deliver this flour to a bakery near my house before it closes. Can you apologize to Zelos for me when he gets here? We really owe you guys for helping out."

Song offered a grin and a wink. "It's no problem, Colette! We're always happy to help a friend."

"Are you sure you'll be okay on your way back?" Yuan asked. "It's dark. I can walk you home if you like."

"Y-you don't have to do that, Yuan! I've already made you take care of Adora all evening-"

While she was trying to assure him, he had already stood up. "You're not a bother, Colette. Besides, if anything happened to you, Kratos would kill me- and Zelos and Lloyd would probably do worse."

"He's right." Song crossed his arms and nodded, sneaking a quick bite from the cold funnel cake that was left over. "I'm honestly surprised that this event went smoothly with all the unrest and protests going on. We know you can take care of yourself, Colette, but it never hurts to be careful. I've heard there's a couple of political fugitives still on the loose somewhere-"

" _Song_." Yuan hissed, and he shut his mouth, holding up his powdered-sugar dusted hands innocently. "Come on, Colette. I don't know the way, so you'll have to lead me. I'll carry Adora since your hands are full."

"Thank you, Yuan." Colette gave a grateful bow and offered a wave in Song's direction. "It was nice seeing you again, Mister Song."

"Anytime, Colette!" he responded, though his mouth was full, so it came out a little muffled. "See you around!"

The walk to the bakery was awkwardly quiet. Colette wasn't sure what to say to Yuan, so she kept mostly to herself and her own thoughts. She couldn't help feeling like she was imposing on him, and while she was getting better at not worrying so much over others' feelings, the whole conversation she'd had with him earlier had her flustered. What _would_ she do if there wasn't anywhere for Adora to go? She didn't want to consider it, but the way he'd been so insistent made her wonder if he knew something she didn't.

The worry made her want to keep Adora by her side that night, but she remembered that all the supplies were still with Miss Veronica at the Wilder mansion. Better to let Adora stay with someone more experienced. It was the least they could do for the girl.

The bakery was still lit when they made it, and the owner was grateful to take the flour, telling Colette to thank Mrs. Sanderson when she saw her at school the next day. Colette's house was just around the corner, and Yuan walked her up to the top step.

"Do you need anything else?" he asked, before realizing that he was still holding Adora. "Oh, er, do you want me to-?"

"Would you take her back with you?" Colette asked. "You've been such a great help tonight. I can't imagine how much more of a disaster it would've been if she'd been crying the whole time. I _really_ appreciate it."

"Of course. Anytime, Colette."

It might've been Colette's imagination, but she could swear Yuan had frozen up a little before speaking. He played it off coolly though, so she couldn't say for sure. As he walked back down the steps to the sidewalk, she called out.

"And thank you for your advice! I'm going to think hard about what you said."

She could see Yuan give a nod before he disappeared back down the street.

* * *

It was a while before Song made it back home.

He'd stayed and waited for Zelos for at least an hour. Zelos had showed up flustered, apologetic, and unsurprised that Colette had already gone home for the night. He explained that once he'd gotten home with Seles, Veronica had wanted to know _everything_ that had happened. Zelos gave what answers he could to her incessant questions, but he didn't know everything, and ended up getting a stern lecture about leaving his sister behind. About that time Seles had woken up and further monopolized Zelos' time, and before he knew it there wasn't anything left to do but trudge back and apologize- if there was anyone still waiting for him to begin with. He thanked Song, told him to thank Yuan for walking Colette home, and headed exhaustedly back to the Wilder mansion.

Song felt bad for the guy, but he was happy to get home himself. He assumed that Yuan had already gone home as well, since he hadn't shown up, and sure enough the lights on the second floor were all on. Song went to the living room to check on his patients and then wandered down the hallway to Yuan's room. He stepped inside with a wave toward his friend, but his greeting was cut off.

"Hey, Yuan! …aaaand Adora."

"Song." Yuan's response was one of quiet acknowledgement and nothing more. Song flinched at his tone, his mind flying suddenly to the worst case scenario.

"Don't tell me you _kidnapped_ her! Did you murder Colette? Do I need to help you hide the body-?!"

"What? NO." Yuan cut him off. "Why would you think that? Do you not trust me?"

Song glanced away. "Sorry to assume. I know you can dispose of your own bodies, but I've told you before that I'm here for you if you need-"

Yuan didn't even let him finish that one. " _I didn't murder anyone, Song._ Colette told me I could take Adora back with me, so I did."

"Oops, I see. Sorry."

Song took a step back, examining the scene. Yuan was sitting in the corner chair, cradling Adora and playing with her- or _trying_ to- using a small stuffed rabbit. Adora didn't seem to want anything to do with it, however, and was batting it away with a whine every time Yuan put it in her face. Song drew closer, leaning on the back of the chair.

"She doesn't seem to like that bunny very much."

"I know," Yuan sighed. "I picked it up for her on the way home thinking it would make her feel better, but she's upset because it's not the same as her old one."

"Her old one?" Song asked.

"Her mother crocheted one for her. It was messy and lopsided, but it was charming and Adora slept with it every night. Of course that's long gone by now- it's not like I can do anything about it."

"Why don't you crochet one for her yourself?"

"I don't know how to crochet."

"That didn't stop Martel, did it?"

No answer was immediately offered. Yuan let out a sigh and turned his attention back to playing with Adora and the rabbit. She was still batting it away, but each time was with a little less energy, so she was either warming up to it or getting tired.

"No," Yuan murmured with what Song could swear was a fond smile, "nothing much ever did."

* * *

Sheena woke up sometime in the early morning hours, groggy and a little disoriented. Her hair was still damp from the bath she and Lloyd had shared after they came down from their high and realized what a sweaty mess they'd made of themselves. But, of course, it wasn't an unwelcome situation. Sheena glanced down at Lloyd's sleeping form next to her and smiled. She certainly had no complaints.

Still, the noise that had pulled her from her sleep finally broke through her cloudy awareness again, and she looked over at the bedroom window where it was coming from. It sounded like it was rattling, but not in the regular way it might if blown by wind. She stood up and crossed the room to get a better look, and when she pulled the curtains open, she nearly jumped at the sight of a familiar canine face pressed up against the glass.

"N-Noishe!" she stammered, pushing the window open so that she could see what was wrong. Now that he'd gotten her attention, he was whining and pawing at the ground, and whatever it was about it seemed to have really upset him. Sheena didn't understand it, but as soon as the window opened and the cold night hit her face, she realized what had him so upset.

The heavy, caustic scent of kerosene caused her to cough and cover her mouth. She knew the scent well from the lanterns that she and Lloyd had used that night, but this was something much stronger. Besides that, there was smoke hanging in the air, and she could hear yells from elsewhere in the town. A knot of worry formed in her stomach and she ran back to the bed.

"Lloyd, Lloyd wake up!" Sheena grabbed hold of his shoulder and shook him. He didn't respond immediately, but soon he began to stir and opened his eyes just a little.

"...Sheena? What's going on?"

"I don't know," she responded, "but it's not good."


	13. Chapter 13

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 111:**  
 _Saoilidh an duin' air mhisg gum bi a h-uile duin' air mhisg ach e fhèin._  
The drunk man thinks himself the only one sober.

 **13-**

 _What a strange dream._

Whenever Kratos woke up from an odd dream, he tried to reconstruct the details of it before they left his mind. It wasn't that he believed his dreams to have any power of prophecy, he simply tried to stay in tune to his own subconscious. For so long he'd done without sleep, the concept of dreams was still vaguely unfamiliar and off-putting. When they were this vivid, he couldn't help but wonder what his mind was trying to tell him. It had been a long time since he'd seen Martel in his dreams- and what had she been asking, anyway? Something about Yuan…?

Ah, well. He couldn't remember. Lost in thought and still half-asleep, he felt a chill to his left where Anna should have been. Her side of the bed was empty but still warm, and Kratos' gaze flew over to the corner of the room where Noishe was whining, pressed up against Anna's legs. She was standing at the vanity, nearly doubled over with her face over the washbasin, one hand covering her mouth as she fought back a strong bout of nausea.

"Anna?" Kratos slid out of bed and approached her. He was going to put his hands on her shoulders, but she suddenly jerked forward and heaved the contents of her stomach into the washbasin. Kratos turned on his heels and ran to the kitchen, returning with a glass of water and a wet rag. Anna was still standing unsteadily at the vanity, but it seemed that her nausea had abated now that she'd emptied her stomach, and Kratos led her back to sit on the bed.

"Don't worry; I'll clean up. Drink some water, okay?" Kratos pressed the rag against her forehead and cheeks while Noishe hopped onto the bed and curled up beside her.

"S-sorry…" Anna mumbled, draining the last of the water from the glass. "I was trying not to wake you up."

"You didn't. I had an odd dream." Kratos shook his head. "But I'm glad I woke up when I did. This is the third time this week you've been up in the middle of the night, Anna-"

She held up one hand to cut him off. "I know what you're going to say, but I'm _really_ alright."

"You're not, and you really need to rethink your involvement in our Meltokio assignment. You can't be expected to respond to an emergency situation when you're feeling like this. I'll rearrange the placements, and-" Kratos stopped as he saw Anna double over again and cover her mouth. He rose to his feet, asking "do you need me to get you something-?" but she was already waving for him to sit back down.

"No, it's fine," she replied, straightening up again. "I drank too fast, I think."

Kratos stayed standing, watching the way she was trying to steady her breathing. Noishe's whines intensified and he gently nudged her cheek with his nose. Anna patted Noishe on the head, but the smile she gave was obviously forced.

"Anna, you can't keep this up," Kratos finally spoke up again. "You ought to see a doctor. This can't possibly be normal."

"What are you talking about?" Anna replied, the smile disappearing from her face. "It's just at night, and I'm always fine by mid-morning. It'll go away on its own within a month or two, just like with Lloyd-"

"Don't try to shrug it off. This is _way worse_ than it was with Lloyd."

Anna crossed her arms, leaning forward towards him. " _No_ , it's about the same. I would know."

"You're exaggerating," Kratos shot back. "I don't ever remember you being up every night like this. It's way different now-"

She interrupted him before he could go any further. "I _know_ you don't remember. The difference _is_ , I'm not trying to hide it from you this time."

Even Noishe went silent at the sound of that. Kratos froze up and stayed still for a moment before drawing in a breath. Anna could see that he wasn't sure what to say, and she turned her head to look away toward the window.

"You _do_ remember that, don't you? I was just so scared of what you'd say, I didn't want to-"

"I recall." Kratos cut her off, clearing his throat. "But I didn't think that- er, I mean- I didn't realize that it was nearly this bad."

Anna smiled, a genuine smile this time. "Then I did a good job, didn't I?"

"Quit acting so smug! You're in pain, aren't you?"

She didn't respond, absentmindedly tapping on the glass she was holding. Finally she shoved the glass in Kratos' direction and rose to her feet. "Get me some more water, will you? I'm going to open the window to get some fresh air."

"Don't look so chipper all of a sudden! You know I'm _worried_ about you, Anna!"

Kratos' voice stopped her right in front of the window, and she turned to look back. Noishe began to whine, a long, drawn-out noise rather than his usual punctuated cries. Anna shifted her weight a little, her eyes darting uneasily back and forth between Kratos and Noishe.

"Thank you."

"Huh?"

"I assumed so," Anna tugged at the collar of her shirt, "but hearing you say it makes me happy. Ever since what happened with Lloyd and me, you've been so much more cold and reserved than you used to. I know I can't understand or change what you went through, but it's good to see you, uh-" She paused and stopped to find the word. "- _emote_ a little."

Kratos approached her, placing his free hand on her shoulder. "I know that I don't show it as often as I should, but I love you and I love this new life we've made. It's possible that I can be a little stern or overbearing, but it's only because being here with you makes me sohappy."

An amused smile spread over Anna's face and she choked back a laugh. "Pfft, only you could say something so sweet with such a deadpan expression."

" _Anna_."

The note of exasperation in his voice prompted Anna to break into a fit of laughter. Hearing this, Noishe jumped off the bed and pressed himself against Anna's side, his tail wagging so violently that Kratos had to dodge it or risk getting knocked over.

Anna's laughter, however, was cut off abruptly as she choked, gagged, and stumbled past Noishe back to the washbasin in the corner. A few heaves produced nothing, but she was finally successful in bringing up what only could have been the water she'd drunk just minutes before. Kratos approached her, but she waved him off with a stammered " _o-open the window_."

He did so, throwing back the curtains and shoving the windowpane out of the way. He let out a sigh of relief as he felt the cool night air on his face and then turned to bring Anna over, but something caught his attention and stopped him immediately.

" _What the_ -?"

Anna heard his statement and noticed the fur on Noishe's back beginning to bristle. "Kratos? Is something wrong?"

"I smell smoke," Kratos murmured.

"Smoke?" Anna covered her mouth with her hand and drew closer to the window. "I smell it too-" She paused and gagged, but quickly regained her composure enough to motion for Kratos to close the window. "Ugh. Who would be having a barbecue so early in the morning?"

"A barbecue…" He began and then groaned. " _Anna_ , there's probably a _building_ on fire!"

"A building? Why would anyone want to barbecue a building?"

" _This is not the time for those sort of gags!_ "

Kratos grabbed Anna by the shoulders and steered her back towards the bed. He grabbed the glass from where she'd set it on the vanity and handed it back to her.

"I'm going to go find out what's happening and what I can do to help. Stay here, get some water- drink it _slowly_ \- and lie down."

"But-"

He waved a hand to cut her off. "No _buts_! Noishe, go find Lloyd and make sure he's alright, then come back here and stay with Anna."

Noishe gave a sharp bark in response and ran out the door as soon as Kratos opened it. Even just stepping out onto the porch, Kratos could already smell the smoke and see a yellowish glowing coming from the direction of the lake.

" _Oh no…_ "

* * *

Lloyd and Sheena followed Noishe around the corner of the street toward the docks, but they both froze up as soon as the lake came into view. Sheena gasped and threw one hand over her mouth, but Lloyd much louder with his expression of horror.

"Th-th-the…" He found himself stammering in disbelief. "...the _water_ is on _fire_?!"

Before anyone could answer his half-question, he heard a voice call from across the way. " _Lloyd, there you are! Get over here!_ "

"Kratos?" Lloyd stammered his father's name before glancing back and Sheena and running over to where Kratos was waving. A group of people had gathered around the dock, trying to put out the fire that had engulfed the wood, but it didn't seem to be of any use. The more they scooped up water from the clear edges of the lake, the closer the fire drew to them. The end of the dock was burnt through and smouldering pieces continued to fall into the water, sending small plumes of flame up where they splashed in.

"A group went to get some more water from the inn's well," Kratos explained. "Everyone's trying to save the dock and the bridges, but if we don't put out the whole fire, the effort is going to be wasted.

"What kind of magic is that?" Lloyd demanded. "What kind of spell are they using to set fire to _water_?"

"It's not the water. There's a slick of kerosene on top of the lake. Someone's set fire to that."

Sheena was looking around frantically, distracted by the chaos around them. "Can't we put it out somehow? Y'know- get someone in a boat to go out there and pour water on it?"

"Pouring water doesn't work," Kratos responded. "Oil and water don't mix. Unless you could smother all the flames at once, the kerosene displaced by the water would only rise to the top again to reignite."

"Oh, oh, I know this one!" Lloyd spoke up. "It's like, when you have an oil fire on the stove. Genis taught me never to pour water on it, 'cause it'll make things worse. Instead, he said you should just put a lid on the pot to suffocate the flames… or something."

Sheena gave Lloyd a gentle hit on the back of the head. "Perfect idea," she muttered, "let's just put a lid on the _entire lake_."

"W-well, I was just-!"

Kratos cut him off, his expression darkening as he thought the situation over. "I wish we had something big enough to smother the flames. Maybe if we had the innkeepers soak some of their larger sheets in water, we could use them. Though I can't say whether they would be big enough to make a difference..."

" _Or,_ " Sheena broke in, "or I could get a Summon Spirit to help instead!"

"Like Gnome?" Lloyd asked. "If you pour dirt on a fire, you can put it out, right? He did ask for something cool to do."

"I was thinking Undine, but now that you mention it, dirt might be better than water in this case. Or maybe mud-"

From the direction of the dock, they could hear someone calling for Kratos. He sighed and turned around, running in that direction. With a wave back in Lloyd and Sheena's direction, he called out "whatever you're going to do, do it fast!"

Lloyd glanced over at Sheena, but she was already fumbling through her pockets to retrieve the talismans that she'd grabbed on the way out. "Stand back, alright? I'm going to summon both of them for good measure."

"Will you be alright?"

"It'll be fine." Once Lloyd had stepped back, she held up the talismans and called out, having to raise her voice to hear herself over the chaos around them. " _I call upon the servant of Mother Earth! I call upon the maiden of the mist! I summon thee, come Gnome, come Undine!_ "

The shock wave from her summons nearly knocked her over, but when she regained her balance she could see the two figures materializing against the dark sky.

"Please," Sheena called, "I need you to create a blanket of mud to extinguish the flames!"

" _Sure thing, kid_!" Gnome's voice boomed around them." _Now this is a job suited for a Summon Spirit_!"

Undine was not quite as enthusiastic as Gnome, but she was cooperative. " _You might want to cover your face. This could get messy_."

The warning was given without time to properly prepare, and before Sheena could even follow Undine's instructions, a blast of energy came from above the lake and a massive sheet of silty mud crashed into the water. It instantly extinguished the flames, but at the same time it created a large wave that splashed and soaked everyone standing anywhere near the shore with a mix of water and silt. The boats tied to the dock were knocked against each other, some overturning in the wake, and by the time that Sheena managed to wipe the mud off her face, the summon spirits had disappeared and all the eyes of the townspeople were on her.

"O-oops…" Sheena murmured, noticing the destruction along the dock and the horrible mess that everyone was covered in. She prepared herself for some harsh words, but the reactions were surprisingly positive.

" _I didn't know the Summoner Sheena was here!" "_ I knew we could count on you!"" _I've never seen anyone put out a fire like that before- that was some quick thinking._ " "Thank you, Sheena!"

Lloyd ran up to her and hugged her from behind. "That was great!"

"Ew, Lloyd, let go. You're covered in mud."

"So are you."

"I know. You're making it worse."

"I'm _not-_ "

"Lloyd! Sheena! Come over here!" Kratos' voice interrupted them, and they could see him standing by the dock- or what remained of it, at least- and waving in their direction. They ran to join him, not sure what to expect. Lloyd was hoping that Sheena would get more praise, but instead, they arrived to a pointed question.

"Do either of you know someone in Meltokio-" Kratos began, "-by the name Doctor J.H. Watson?"

Lloyd and Sheena frowned, glancing at one another. They answered at the same time, both shaking their heads.

"No. Never heard of him." "Can't say that I have. Sorry."

Kratos gave a disappointed sigh. "I see. That makes sense. Thank you, though."

"Wait," Lloyd responded, "who is he anyway?"

"That's-"

Before Kratos could finish his response, the man he'd been talking to stepped in front of him to cut him off and address them instead.

"-he's the bastard that did this!"

* * *

Having Raine taking care of him all day made Genis feel like a kid again.

She stayed by his bed all morning and kept switching out a cool rag on his forehead to help his fever go down. By lunchtime he was feeling much better, and so she went out to buy them something for lunch- she was willing to admit that her cooking might end up making him worse. Upon her return, she was happy to share the news that the vandals who'd planted the bombs on the university's campus had been apprehended.

"They're apparently part of a group that calls themselves the _Church of Mana_ ," she reported as they ate.

"Is that what the Church of Martel is calling themselves now?"

"I don't know. All I got is what Mister Ellis told me. I'm glad Professor Low was able to turn them in. Who knows what further damage they could have caused?"

Genis was silent for a moment. "I don't know. I don't like the fact that they had access to one of the university's storage closets. That makes the whole thing seem like an inside job to me. You don't think someone is-?"

Raine cut him off before he could finish and changed the topic of conversation. He knew that she was uncomfortable with the idea, but they wouldn't get anywhere by setting it aside and refusing to discuss it. Even with those two vandals turned in, there was still the matter of that _Watson_ guy they spoke of…

Genis didn't bring it up again, but it bothered him the rest of the night.

The siblings were awoken sometime in the middle of the night by the sound of a large blast. Genis sat up in shock, still disoriented as Raine rushed to the window. She couldn't see anything in the direction of the university, and in fact saw lights on around the harbor area. Before Genis could ask what was going on, she was already getting dressed to go out, so he followed suit. While he insisted that he was healthy enough to go despite her protests, he wasn't fast enough on his feet and got left behind as they made their way through the streets. For the moment he stopped worrying about keeping up and instead strolled by the marina to see what the damage was. The boats all looked fine and in-order, but part of the boardwalk was torn up, as though it had been blasted from underneath. There wasn't, however, any kind of caustic scent left in the air like he would expect from an explosion created by gunpowder nor were there any burn marks left on the wood, and Genis began to wonder about the nature of the explosion.

By the time he reached the other side of the boardwalk where a small crowd was forming, Raine was already deep into a conversation with a police officer.

"The assumed culprit goes by the name Doctor J.H. Watson. They claim no affiliation to the university, but even so-"

"I can assure you, we don't have any staff members with the surname Watson," Raine replied with a vehement shake of her head. "Whoever it is, they were telling the truth when they said they were unaffiliated with the university."

"But I'm afraid it's not that simple. The university is the only place to access the dry ice that was used in the vandalism. This Dr. Watson must have had access to the university's resources or received help from someone who did."

"Watson?" Genis asked. "How do you know for sure that's the guy who did it?"

Raine glanced over, surprised to see Genis having caught up as quickly as he did. "Listen, Genis, someone by that name has been sending threatening letters to the owner of the marina-"

"But isn't he an outspoken opponent of the Alpha-Beta Project? Why would vandals against the project attack the property of someone who supports them?"

The police officer cleared her throat. "I'm afraid you misunderstand, Mister Sage. This Dr. Watson was sending letters advocating that the marina owner support the university's scientific endeavors or face consequences."

"C-consequences…" Genis stammered. "You mean, someone's threatening violence _for_ the sake of the project?"

"Yes, that appears to be the case-"

" _No_ ," Raine interrupted, her voice low and almost hoarse. "This person may think they're doing a service to the scientific community, but violence will only breed more violence and hatred. I don't know anything about who could be behind this, but tomorrow I'll head to Meltokio and tell Professor Low all about it. We won't stop until we find out who's been misusing university resources and put a stop to it. I _refuse_ to let my cause stoop to the level of its hard-headed opponents."

Even the police officer seemed put off by the severity of Raine's statement. She drew back and offered a nervous nod of approval. "W-well, Professor Sage, I ask that you keep your limits in mind and leave the duties of law enforcement up to trained professionals. But if you or Professor Low uncover any pertinent information, bring it to us as soon as possible."

"Trust me. We _will_."

Not wanting to ask Raine anything more about it, Genis had to piece together the details himself. A dry ice bomb, huh? That relied only on the pressure of the sublimating gas to create an explosion rather than a chemical reaction, which explained why there were no burns or smell associated with the broken boardwalk. It wasn't the work of the chemicals that he'd smelled in the storage closet the previous night, but even so, he couldn't get the name _Watson_ out of his head. When the vandals had mentioned it, he'd assumed it was a first name and perhaps just an accomplice. But the idea that it was the surname of someone important- possibly a ringleader- was much more jarring.

At least despite Raine's reaction, she had the right plan. If anyone would know anything about what those vandals were up to, it would be Professor Low. Genis just hoped that the damage- not just to the boardwalk, but to the project's reputation- wasn't permanent.


	14. Chapter 14

As per usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 66**  
 _An ràmh is fhaisg air laimh, iomair leis._ _  
_Row with the oar that's nearest at hand.

 **14-**

The man, as Sheena learned, was the owner of the docks, who managed the boat traffic around Lake Sinoa. Lloyd knew the man well from his endeavors toward buying a boat, and he was happy to chat with him about the situation... at least for a short amount of time before the mud on their clothes dried.

"It was after I took a group to Meltokio for one of those protests. Y'know, before the violence started- I didn't want to get into that." The man had pulled out a cigarette, but Kratos advised him that smoking might not be the most prudent decision after what had happened, and so he reluctantly put it away. "Everybody knows I'm against all that fancy science-y machine stuff, that's no secret. But it was only after I came back from Meltokio I started getting letters from this kid calling himself a doctor or whatever."

"Doctor J.H. Watson, you mean?" Sheena asked.

"Right. Watson. He started sending me these letters weekly, telling me that I needed to reconsider my stance. Talking about how important science is to the community as a whole and how scientific research paves the way for the future. The whole thing was in such a haughty tone, this guy sounded totally delusional. I'm not _stupid_ ; I know what _science_ is and what it does. It's this whole tampering with mana issue that I'm against."

"Did you write him back and tell him that?" Kratos asked.

"I considered it, but I figured it was just a kid on an ego trip and I didn't want to encourage him. I threw away the letters and ignored them."

Sheena frowned. "So you don't have the letters anymore?"

"I have _one_. I received it today- er, yesterday, I suppose. What time is it? Doesn't matter." The man got caught up in his reply and had to shake his head to regain focus. "This one was different. It was a preachy lesson about petroleum products, like kerosene and paraffin wax, and how they're insoluble in water. Things about poles and hydrogen bonds… and, of course, why hydrocarbons _burn_. I should've realized it was a threat, and yet I shrugged it off like all the others."

Lloyd wasn't really sure what all those words meant, but he was intrigued by the idea of the letter anyway. "Can we see the letter? Maybe we can get someone in Meltokio to analyze the handwriting-"

The man shook his head. "No handwriting. It was done on a typewriter."

"Still, we could learn some things by looking at the return address," Kratos offered. "I can take the letter with me to Meltokio in the morning and make a proper report to the authorities."

For the first time that night, the man smiled. "That sounds like a good idea to me. I'll give you more details then- right now I need to clean off this mud. My mother-in-law's going to be livid if I track this inside."

Sheena blushed. "S-sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Nah, don't apologize. You saved most of my dock from burning down. I owe you for that, so we'll call it even."

The three walked back toward Kratos and Anna's house, and by the time they turned the corner they could see her and Noishe on the porch waiting for them. "Ah," Lloyd murmured, "so that's where Noishe ran off to."

Kratos wasn't so pleased with the sight. "I told her to-" He cut his voice off and shook his head and sighed to himself. "But since when does she listen to me…?"

Anna ran to the gate and was waiting for them once they made it to the yard. Noishe was poking his nose through the slats in the gate, trying to get a whiff of what exactly the three of them were covered in.

"Wh-what happened to you?" Anna stammered, wide-eyed at the state of everyone's clothing. She wrinkled her nose and covered her face with one hand. "Ugh, you smell like the lake. Did you go for a swim or something?"

"Yeah," Lloyd laughed, "a mud bath, courtesy of our friendly summon spirits."

Kratos gave him an amused tap on the back of the head. "Very funny- but you do need a _real_ bath."

Sheena laughed at the sight of Lloyd's indignant response. He rubbed the back of his head, turning to Kratos with a pout. "Aw, but I just had a bath before I went to sleep."

Anna leaned over the gate, reaching out to pat the back of his head. "Listen to your father, Lloyd," she cooed. "No arguments about bathtime~"

"M-mom!"

"You heard your mother," Sheena teased, nudging him. "C'mon, it's getting cold standing out here like this. Let's head back and dry off-"

"Oh, Sheena, you can use our bath," Anna offered, pushing the gate open and reaching for Sheena's hand. "Lloyd, Kratos, you guys go take a bath… somewhere else."

"Will you be o-" Kratos began to ask, but Anna cut him off with an enthusiastic thumbs-up and he decided it would be pointless to argue. "Alright, then. Let's head back to your place, Lloyd."

* * *

Once Sheena finished in the bath, Anna offered to dry and brush her hair for her. It was a surprise, and Sheena initially objected, but Anna seemed so oddly eager that she felt a little guilty if she didn't at least humor her.

"Th-thank you, Miss Anna. I can't remember the last time someone brushed my hair like this." Sheena had taken a seat on the carpet while Anna sat on the ottoman behind her, running a brush through her hair to gently untangle the unruly dark knots. Noishe was curled up beside Sheena, and though his breathing was regular as though he were sleeping, Sheena could see him open his eyes every so often to glance up at Anna.

"No, thank _you,_ Sheena," Anna laughed. "I never really got to indulge in this sort of thing with Lloyd. His hair is long enough now, but... I don't think a man in his twenties would want his mother playing with his hair."

"Oh, you might be surprised." Sheena mirrored the laugh. "Besides, you seem good at it. Ever since Kratos started living with you, his hairstyle has been much tamer."

Anna couldn't resist a smirk. "You think so? You should've seen him way back when I first met him- what a disaster! Perhaps Lloyd would benefit from getting the same treatment from you."

The two shared another laugh, but Sheena was distracted by her own thoughts. A thought poked at her consciousness, and she decided to voice it before she lost her courage.

"Um, speaking of which… can I ask you an odd question?"

Anna finished brushing through Sheena's hair and shifted backwards with a curious frown. "Ask me anything you like. What's on your mind?"

"Well, it's- I mean, I was wondering… I figured you would know, being from Sylvarant… what kind of traditions do they have about courtship and marriage?" As she continued, Sheena found herself stammering, her words speeding up and running together. "I mean, more specifically, about betrothals and engagements, and what the process is for people to decide who to marry and how to… er, y'know... go about it, so to speak. How do you broach that subject, and what kind of expectations are there for-?"

"Sheena-" Anna cut her off, grinning from ear to ear as she realized exactly what she was getting at. "-if you're asking whether it would be appropriate for you to propose to Lloyd, the answer is yes _. Go for it_."

The light blush that had settled on Sheena's cheeks intensified and she began to fidget with her hands. "I-I just wasn't sure… see, those sort of things are very formal back in Mizuho. We don't generally do arranged marriages anymore, but even so, romance isn't something people express openly. When someone wants to propose marriage, they arrange a meeting with their intended fiance's family and make a formal offer. I assumed that Lloyd wouldn't know to do that, but I didn't want to bring it up and risk embarrassing him, especially if he wasn't ready or wasn't planning to…" She let her voice trail off, part of her mortified to even _imagine_ that Lloyd had no long-term intentions. Anna seemed surprised by the suggestion as well, and she slid off the ottoman to sit beside Sheena.

"Don't be silly! He's _crazy_ about you." She took Sheena's hands in hers with a smile. "We don't have any formal traditions like that. If you want to ask him, just ask him- no need to do it in front of Dirk and Kratos and me… in fact, _don't_ do that. That would just make it awkward."

The statement dispelled the tension and Sheena was able to laugh again. "Oh? You think having Dirk staring us down the whole time would ruin the mood?"

At that mental image, Anna burst out laughing too. " _Aye, dae min' me."_ She mimicked the accent and stroked an imaginary beard. " _I'll jus' be here watchin' ye while ye, ah… negotiate things."_

The two women found themselves unable to speak, they were so caught up in a fit of giggles. Anna put her arms around Sheena's shoulders and Noishe nudged his way into the embrace with his tail wagging. Sheena had to admit, she'd been unsure what to expect when Anna invited her in, but it seemed that the woman just wanted some cheerful company. It wasn't her place to criticize Anna's taste, but Sheena had to admit, Kratos didn't seem like he would be the most… how should she put it?... _warm and fuzzy_ of partners. Even if Kratos had a secret soft side that wasn't shown to anyone except Anna, this opportunity to joke and laugh was something different. Something both Anna and Sheena needed.

Anna's laughter died down and she wiped a tear from the side of one eye as she suppressed a further giggle. "And that's nothing compared to _Kratos_. He gets so serious when other people are around, with that stare of his… a bunch of the soldiers say they're more scared of Kratos than any enemy they might face!"

Sheena hadn't wanted to mention Kratos unless Anna brought it up, but the statement renewed her laughter. "So he's not alwayslike that? Good to know."

"Kratos is like a guard dog," Anna responded with a proud nod. "He's not friendly toward strangers, but if he loves you, then you know he's just a cuddly puppy."

Noishe perked up at the word "puppy," moving to nudge Anna and set his head in her lap for her to pet. Sheena reached over and petted Noishe's ears, watching as his tail wagged back and forth eagerly. She moved to the base of his ear and scratched that one spot she always saw Lloyd going for, prompting a familiar pleased whine and a tilt of Noishe's head in her direction.

 _How funny,_ Sheena thought to herself, _Noishe is what I think of when I imagine a guard dog, and he doesn't remind me at all of Kratos-_

Noishe let out a yelp as Anna suddenly rose to her feet. She hadn't given any warning and practically pushed him away as she moved forward, halfway to the kitchen by the time Sheena processed what was going on and managed to call out

"Anna!"

"Just a minute!" Even from in the kitchen, Anna's voice was audibly strained, and Sheena saw the fur on the back of Noishe's back rise up. He made a dash toward the kitchen and Sheena had to scramble to catch up.

"Wh-what's going on? Miss Anna?"

She stopped by the kitchen door, seeing Anna standing over the sink, gagging and heaving as though she were going to be sick- though nothing was coming of it. Sheena's face turned pale and she took a step back.

"W-wait right here! I'll go get Kratos and Lloyd!"

" _NO!"_

Anna's voice stopped Sheena in her tracks. She turned around only to see Anna wretch over the sink again, this time managing to bring up a small amount of cloudy liquid. Unsure of what to do, Sheena cautiously approached, placing one hand on Anna's back and the other against her forehead.

"What's going on? You don't have a fever, but..."

Anna began running water in the sink and splashed her face a few times before she regained her composure enough to answer. "I-I'm okay. My throat hurts a little, but that's just because of the acid, I think. I don't have anything in my stomach, so-"

Sheena pulled her hands away. "This is _not_ good. I'm going to go tell Kratos and Lloyd right away-"

"Please, don't!"

This time Anna sounded more scared than anything, and Sheena protested. "But you're really sick."

"I'm not, I promise. I'm just feeling a little off, is all. I don't want Lloyd to worry."

"How can you say that?" Sheena demanded, turning back towards the door. "He should be worried- this looks serious! You need to see a doctor, or-"

Before she could get anywhere, Sheena felt Anna's hand grip her wrist. "No, I…" Anna faltered a moment and continued with a resigned sigh. "...I'd just rather not _this_ be how Lloyd finds out that I'm pregnant."

Sheena's expression of worry fell instantly.

"Y-you…"

"If you could, just for a little while, don't tell Lloyd. And don't let Kratos know that you know."

The situation was still too much for Sheena all of a sudden. "S-so… you and Kratos… that would make it's Lloyd's younger…"

"Yep!" Anna forced a smile. "Lloyd's going to be a big brother. I know it's wrong of me to keep it from him like this, but I want telling him to be a happy occasion. Kratos wants that too, so that's why he'd rather… keep things quiet for now, at least until I'm feeling better."

Sheena couldn't reply at first. She glanced back and forth between Anna and Noishe, who was standing as close as he could get to Anna's side without actually touching her. The whole thing was vaguely incomprehensible, but Sheena couldn't put her finger on why. Perhaps it was because she had seen Kratos and Anna as these mythical figures that weren't entirely human, with Kratos' angel background and Anna being considered dead for so long. The idea that the couple could have a- er, _another_ \- child had never crossed Sheena's mind.

"That's, uh… that's great. I'm really happy for you. But do you think keeping it a secret is the best idea for Lloyd's sake? He'll be happy even if he is a little worried-"

"Well, see, the truth is-" Anna glanced away, some color returning to her pale cheeks. "-it's really _Kratos_ that I want to save worrying."

"Kratos is worried? About what?"

Anna sighed and took a seat at the kitchen table. "He can't help remembering what happened last time. When I was pregnant with Lloyd, we were always on the run from the Desians. It was dangerous. I almost lost Lloyd more times than I'd like to admit. That's all Kratos knows, and it scares him."

"But you're not on the run now." Sheena didn't sit down, instead leaning against the back of another chair. "You have a stable home with family and friends to help you."

"That's true. But Kratos has been closely following the unrest that's going on because of the Alpha-Beta controversy, and he knows better than anyone what kind of consequences that can have. Plus he… _how should I put it_ …?"

"What?"

Anna closed her eyes and gave it some thought before replying. "Before Lloyd was born, Kratos wasn't sure how he felt about the idea of being a father. It was unexpected for him and he didn't like the idea of dragging a child into the complicated life we were living at the time. But for all that uncertainty, he still _worried_. He fussed over me and protected me and worried about me until he was in worse shape than I was, which was _quite_ a feat once I got further along. All for a child he wasn't even sure he wanted." After a pause, she leaned down and rested her arms against the table. "After Lloyd was born, I think Kratos felt guilty about the way he thought before. A couple weeks ago when I told him the news, he kept saying how happy he was- y'know, in his own sort of stoic way- how happy he was that _I_ was happy, and that he wants this baby just as much as I do. So when he insisted on keeping things quiet for safety reasons, I knew that was his way of trying to protect me. If it makes him feel better, I can't deny him that."

Sheena didn't speak at first. Anna's monologue had been a little too much for her to take in, and she was still contemplating it. There really wasn't any arguing with that, was there?

"...I see," she finally sighed.

"I'll tell Lloyd soon," Anna added. "I _do_ feel bad about keeping it from him, and I promised Colette I would-"

"Wait, _Colette_ knows?!"

Anna blushed and hid her face in her hands. "I'm sorry. She visited a few days ago and… we're really bad at this secret-keeping thing."

Sheena sighed. Really, she should've expected this. Lloyd had to have gotten his talkative nature from somewhere, after all. "Don't worry. I won't say anything to anyone. It's better if Lloyd hears it from you. Just be careful how long you keep it from him. If he finds out on his own, he'll be really upset, you know."

"Yes, I suspect so." Anna rose to her feet again and motioned toward the stove. "I'm going to make some tea to settle my stomach. Would you like some?"

"Something warm to drink sounds great right now. Thanks."

* * *

The two men returned to Lloyd's house, Kratos with a change of clothes that Anna had sent him away with. Lloyd had expected Kratos to be more talkative after all that had happened, but the silence between them was amiable, and- to be perfectly honest- more comfortable than most of their actual conversations. Lloyd had gotten cleaned up and was brushing through his tangled hair before Kratos finally spoke up again.

"Lloyd," he began, and Lloyd nearly jumped at the sudden noise, "what do you know about the Alpha-Beta project?"

The question came out of nowhere, and Lloyd had to think it over. "I-I'm sorry, I'm confused. What do you mean?"

"You and Genis are close. What have you heard from him regarding the project?"

The clarification made things easier and Lloyd shrugged, putting down the brush he was using. "We were talking about it the other day, actually. He was saying that his sister and Professor Low have been working really late nights to get things done right. He was worried about them, and honestly I don't blame him. Science-y stuff is _hard_. I couldn't imagine doing it _all day_."

Kratos initially replied with a mumbled " _I couldn't imagine you doing it at all, Lloyd,"_ but he played it off and continued as though he hadn't said anything. "Professor Low, hm? What do you know about her? She has connections in Meltokio that desperately want to see her project succeed- if only for the monetary reasons. I wonder if our Dr. Watson isn't one of them."

Lloyd raised his hand with a smile. "I know all about Professor Low! Well, I mean, I've never met her, but Genis is always talking about her and how much he admires her nowadays, so I went and looked her up. She's pretty famous in Tethe'alla."

"Oh? _You_ actually researched someone?"

"Yep! Zelos gave me a reference book with a bunch of famous people in it, and she was listed in there. I wrote some stuff down." He stood up and ran over to the bookshelf, pulling out a notebook and flipping through several pages until he found what he was looking for. "Let's see… she's thirty years old, 167 centimeters tall, and weighs 68 kilograms. Her blood type is AB, her personality type is ESTJ, and her birthday is the 12th of December, making her a Sagittarius- just like me!"

Kratos frowned. He shouldn't have expected too much from Lloyd's so-called research. "Your enthusiasm is appreciated, but literally none of that information is helpful."

"Th-there's more!" Lloyd sported a blush as he turned back to the notebook, his stiff position causing the towel that was placed around his bare shoulders to slide off onto the floor. "She was born in Meltokio, her middle name is Dorothea, her favorite color is blue, there was a category that just said _cup size_ followed by four D's, and I'm not sure what it meant but Zelos told me to write it down because it was important-"

"Stop, _stop."_ Kratos reached over Lloyd's shoulder and closed the notebook. "I get it, she's reached enough of a celebrity status to have mindless gossip published about her in tabloids. That might suggest that this Dr. Watson is a fan, but it doesn't narrow the search down at all. What else did Genis say about the project?"

Lloyd frowned and reluctantly put the notebook away before bending down to retrieve his towel from the floor. "Not much more. Colette and I kinda got distracted, and then after we found Adora, everything fell to pieces-"

" _Wait."_

The sound of Kratos' voice cut Lloyd off, and he glanced up to see a look of confusion on his father's face.

"What do you mean-" Kratos continued, "-you _found_ Adora?"


	15. Chapter 15

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 58**  
 _Gu tric fear beul bhris shròn._  
It's often a man's mouth that breaks his nose.

 **15-**

"What do you mean you _found_ Adora?"

Kratos' question was far more serious than Lloyd thought it had any reason to be, and he frowned in confusion.

"Did Colette not tell you what happened?"

" _No_ , she did not." Kratos shook his head, stepping back and sitting on the bed. He reached back and grabbed the remaining piece of the clean pajama set that Lloyd had gotten out. "Here. Put your shirt on and keep talking. Where did you _find_ Adora?"

Lloyd caught the shirt as Kratos tossed it to him. "By the Great Tree. It was when I went to meet with Genis and Colette on Tuesday morning."

"Had she been abandoned there?"

"Sort of… I guess." Lloyd sat down on the bed across from Kratos, tossing the shirt back and forth between his hands. "We found her by accident. Colette tripped and fell, and uncovered a box that had been buried in the hill. When we dug it up, we found Adora in-"

"A _box_? She was in the box _?_ " Lloyd saw Kratos' eyes widen. "It wasn't, by any chance, a box with a _mirror,_ was it?"

"A mirror?"

"On the front or side- anywhere on the outside of the box?"

Lloyd shook his head. "No, I don't remember there being a mirror at all. Why? Is that important?"

"Yes. Well, it would-" Kratos cut himself off and shook his head. "Never mind. Continue, please."

The expression on Lloyd's face darkened in confusion. "When we opened the box, we found Adora, but… she couldn't breathe. Her throat was closed up 'cause of some disease that Professor Sage said was common in half-elves…"

"Tracheal stenosis?" Kratos asked.

"Yeah, I think that was the word." Lloyd nodded. "We took her to Professor Sage, and she was able to heal her easily, but we were really scared at first."

There was a period of silence and Kratos nodded his head. "For a long time, it was unclear what caused the disease. Some mild cases could be survived, but generally it was a death sentence for an infant. I could imagine that finding out a child had it could be devastating for any parent. Losing a child is a pain _no one_ should ever have to bear."

Lloyd could swear there was a twinge of pain in Kratos' voice as he spoke that last sentence, but he didn't want to bring it up for fear of sending the conversation down the wrong path. He busied himself tapping his fingers against the fabric of the shirt he was holding while he thought things over. Eventually Kratos cleared his throat and continued his line of questions.

"While there may not have been a mirror, could you describe the box? How was it latched? Was there any metal on it that could have acted as a reflective surface?"

"I mean, it was just a regular metal latch," Lloyd answered with a shrug. "The box was old and really dirty, so it was tough to see what was on the surface, but there was a carving on the top with the words _Adora Martel_ on it. Genis said that the _Adora_ part was probably a reference to goddess worship, but that's what Colette decided to call the baby once we realized that we didn't know her name-"

"So _Adora_ isn't her real name?"

"No. I mean, not unless it's her name that was written on the box- is _Martel_ also a surname?"

"I've never heard it used as one," Kratos replied with a shake of his head. He stood up and began to fold the towel he'd been using. "Still, I don't like the sound of this. Some of the practices of the Church of Martel may have survived, but the actual worship of Martel as a goddess has generally abated. Plus, you said the box was old. I wonder if the name is just a coincidence…" He stopped speaking and turned back to face Lloyd. "Who opened the box?"

"Huh?" Lloyd pointed to himself in surprise. "W-well, I was going to open it, but Genis stopped me and yelled at me for defacing religious artifacts. Then Colette started to open it, but Genis made her close it again, and-"

"So it was _Colette_ who first opened the latch?"

"Yes."

"Interesting. That _can't_ be a coincidence, then."

The certainty of the statement caught Lloyd off-guard. "What do you mean? What's going on? Do you know something about-"

" _Thank you_ ," Kratos interrupted, having placed his towel on the nightstand and approaching Lloyd to snatch the shirt out of his hands, "for telling me. It helps me a lot. Here- I can help with your shirt, if you like."

"I-It's not a problem! And I can dress myself!" Lloyd blushed a little and snatched his shirt back. He hurriedly shoved the shirt over his head and struggled to find the sleeves. Once he had it on, he gave a little choke at the way the fabric pressed against his throat and realized that it was backwards. It took him slightly longer to figure out how to twist it around, but he eventually managed to get it right. "There."

Kratos' expression remained deadpan, but he gave a nod. "Very good. You've improved a little since you were three."

" _D-don't make fun of me!_ "

Lloyd lunged at him, his arms flailing in mock aggression, but this only elicited a grin and a low chuckle from Kratos. "Alright, Lloyd, I get it. Let's shift our focus back to the matter at hand. Have you heard anything from Genis or Raine that might provide some insight on our friend Dr. Watson?"

"No, I don't think so. At least, not from Genis. But for some reason the name Doctor Watson sounds really familiar, and I almost think it was Professor Sage…"

Kratos perked up at the statement. "Is that so? Where did she mention it?"

"I think… I think… I remember it from school. Doctor Watson was an author who wrote one of the books we read in class."

"An author?" Kratos murmured, drawing in a breath. "What kind of textbook was it? If you can remember, maybe we can find it and track the author down."

"Erm, um…" Lloyd had to wrack his brain around the idea as he dragged up memories of a long-forgotten book that he'd really only half-read and then copied the book report off of Genis. That's right, Raine had not only failed him on that report, but given him _negative_ points for copying Genis' report. "Yeah, that was the one where I copied Ge- _er,_ I mean, I got some _help_ from Genis on my book report. It was about the theme of indecisiveness, that by leaving an act up to fate rather than making an active decision, a person is directly committing the evil that might follow."

"Philosophy, hmm?" Kratos murmured.

"Yeah. I didn't really get it, but Genis seemed to. He wrote all about how the two pills were representative of the murderer's internal conflict and inability to live with decisions he'd made himself-"

"Wait." Kratos held a hand up to interrupt. " _Pills_?"

"Yeah! Something about one being poison and the other being harmless. Colette actually cried in class when we got to one part because they killed the dog testing the pills! She was hysterical, her dad had to come pick her up and everything, it was a disaster-"

"L-Lloyd," Kratos began again through clenched teeth. "This book you're speaking of… wouldn't happen to have been Arthur Conan Doyle's _A Study in Scarlet_ , would it?"

"Yeah, that was it! I remember because we read it was the year after we read _The Scarlet Letter_ , and I liked this one waaay better-"

He cut his sentence off at the sight of Kratos burying his face in one hand. "...Lloyd…" he groaned, "...you're right, I guess, but the Doctor Watson from _A Study in Scarlet_ isn't really the writer. He's the fictional narrator. You're thinking of the sidekick to Sherlock Holmes."

That statement got Lloyd's attention, and he felt another small blush creeping over his cheeks. "O-oops. I didn't realize that was fake. I mean, I guess I should've been tipped off by all the weird place names- like, London? Cleveland? _Salt Lake City?_ That _definitely_ doesn't exist in Sylvarant _or_ Tethe'alla-"

"Don't worry. You didn't do anything wrong. I asked you to remember a Doctor Watson and you did so." Kratos shook his head. "Though I can't say that the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson are necessarily applicable to..."

His voice trailed off and Lloyd looked up in surprise. "Something wrong, Kratos?"

"John Watson. Doctor _John Hamish_ Watson. Lloyd, the fictional character Watson has the same initials as our letter-writer."

Lloyd's face lit up. "Oh! So that means the book Watson is real after all?"

"No, it means that our writer _may_ be using the fictional character's name as a pseudonym."

"Ah, right. That would make more sense."

Lloyd fished in his dresser drawer for a hair tie and began pulling his hair back. He looked back over at Kratos, waiting for him to continue. However, he was quiet, a pensive frown on his face.

"I don't like the implications of that, though," Kratos finally said.

"Huh? What do you mean? I figured that, maybe it was a good thing- maybe he's not really a doctor and he's just playing a cruel joke."

Kratos shook his head. "But you have to think about the name in context. The character Doctor Watson is famous specifically for being Sherlock Holmes' _sidekick_. For a person to name themselves after a literary sidekickmust mean that they're deferring to a superior in some fashion."

Lloyd had heard those words before, but not strung together like that, and it caught him off-guard. He tilted his head as he offered a "...um, and that means…?"

"It means," Kratos responded with a clear, slow voice so that Lloyd could follow, "if _Watson_ is the one creating all this chaos, I'm afraid to imagine what _Holmes_ is capable of."

 _Oh._ Lloyd couldn't do much but nod. This whole situation was too much for him to take in at the moment, and he sat down on the bed and lay back. Staring up at the ceiling with a sigh, he focused on the sound of insects and frogs out the window. The cool night air was so calming, it felt like sleep was beckoning for him once again.

"It's too early for so much thinking."

"True," Kratos offered with a nod. "Perhaps I should leave you to get some more sleep, then? I'll go let Anna know and send Sheena back over here."

"Would you? Thanks a bunch!" Lloyd jumped to his feet again so that he could approach Kratos. "Seriously, I appreciate your help tonight… and always. You always seem to know what to do."

The statement caught Kratos off-guard, and he offered a shrug in response. "I didn't do anything special. Sheena was the one who saved the day this time."

"Yeah, but you were out there before any of us trying to figure out how to help. And you took charge in figuring out who the culprit was and searching for him. You do a lot more than I tend to give you credit for, so _thanks_."

A split-second passed where Lloyd could swear he saw a fond smile on Kratos' face. It disappeared, though, and his expression had returned to normal by the time Kratos placed his hand on Lloyd's head.

"Don't worry about it. You're working hard too."

The compliment brought a smile to Lloyd's face, and he was still thinking about it once Kratos had gathered all of his belongings. He started for the door, but then stopped himself as he realized something.

"Oh, I almost forgot. A piece of advice for you- just for future reference."

"Hm?" Lloyd looked on in curiosity. "What's that?"

"In case you ever need it, olibanum oil works wonders for getting rid of bruises. A little bit on your skin should clear it right up."

The intention of the statement was lost on Lloyd, and he frowned as he tried to reason with it. "If you're saying-" he began "-that things could get even worse in Meltokio as we get closer to the festival, I know that. I'm prepared to do what I have to in order to keep the peace, and if that means putting myself in harm's way for other people, so be it. It's nothing I haven't done before."

Kratos' expression was unreadable, and Lloyd waited impatiently for a response.

"You're a good man, Lloyd," he began with what sounded almost like a laugh, "but I was talking about more personal matters. It's nobody else's business what you do for fun, so-" Kratos tapped the side of his neck with a nod toward Lloyd. "-try to remember that."

Lloyd stiffened and turned around so that he could see his reflection in the mirror. He pulled back the collar of his shirt to examine his neck and shoulder, and his face immediately flashed a bright red color.

" _Th-th-th-that's not-! I mean, I just-! Those are-!_ " Stammering like this was no use and Lloyd knew it, so he instead threw himself on the bed and covered his head with a pillow. "J-just go already!"

"I'm not trying to embarrass you, Lloyd. I'm trying to save you future embarrassment. _I_ don't care, but if somebody like Zelos saw that-"

"I know, Sheena and I would never hear the end of it. But that's different- Zelos is my _friend_. You're my _dad_. It's weird."

"It shouldn't be. Your father is supposed to be your source on these sorts of things. Friends are the ones who encourage you to be reckless, while parents remind you to act responsibly-"

Lloyd let out a groan and turned away from Kratos, keeping his head hidden behind the pillow. "I know, I _know!_ I've heard it all before. Be careful, don't do anything stupid, or I'll end up with an unwanted kid like you and Mom did with me. Now will you let me die of embarrassment in peace?"

He could feel the bed shift as Kratos sat down beside him, indicating that he was _not_ , in fact, going to honor Lloyd's request. Lloyd considered sitting up and throwing the pillow at him, but Kratos spoke before he had the chance, and the tone of his voice caught Lloyd off-guard.

" _Lloyd_." His voice sounded almost pained. "You were _not_ unwanted. Unplanned, perhaps, but _never_ unwanted."

Lloyd poked his head out from under the pillow. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it like that. I was exaggerating. This is weird and embarrassing and, I don't know, I just spoke without thinking."

"I understand. But still, I don't want you to ever think that."

Kratos reached out and began running his hand through Lloyd's hair. It was an unfamiliar sensation, and yet Lloyd couldn't help feeling comforted by it. It felt as though he was a child again, safe and comfortable...

"I know I might've said some things that would make you think that. For a time, I wasn't sure myself, only because I was worried. Most of our hiding places from Cruxis were no place for a baby. I didn't want you to be born into danger like that. But that was only because I loved you and Anna so much."

Lloyd didn't respond, so Kratos pulled his hand away and glanced out the window. He could see down the street a short distance to the house on the corner, where Anna and Sheena were likely still in conversation. The air still smelled a little like smoke, but the frogs and insects were chirping as though nothing had happened.

"It's amazing how quickly things can return to being peaceful," Kratos finally continued, allowing himself to smile. "We humans cause bad things to happen all the time. But if we let nature take its course, the world can heal itself just as easily. I sometimes wonder if nature knows better than we do what's best for us. Life, mana, the Great Tree… it's all connected." He paused and shook his head. "I'm not trying to get all philosophical on you. What I'm really trying to say is, _well_ … your mother and I haven't really been giving much thought to the future since we started living together again. It's kind of like when we were first together. The future was this fuzzy, uncertain thing that we didn't want to acknowledge, so we focused on the present moments we had together. But you changed that for us. Suddenly we wanted to make the world a better place, not for us in the present, but for someone else in the future. And history seems to have a way of repeating itself. Just a couple weeks ago... we found out that Anna is expecting another baby. All these years later, after losing everything and getting it all back, we- um, _Lloyd_?"

The lack of response to his revelation made Kratos suspicious, and he turned back around to look at Lloyd. His eyes were closed and his mouth moved only slightly with deep, regular breaths. It looked like he didn't have a care in the world… or any idea what was going on around him.

"Lloyd? Hey, Lloyd." Kratos grabbed Lloyd's arm and shook it. It worked in bringing the boy to awareness, and he awoke with a sudden inhale.

"I-I'm listening!" Lloyd stammered, lifting his head from the pillow.

"So you heard what I said?"

"Yeah! Something about… mana is life and the Great Tree knows best… right?"

Kratos pressed his fingers to his temple and tried to force a smile. " _Yes,_ Lloyd, that's right about where I was. You didn't miss anything."

"Something wrong, Kratos?"

Kratos stood up, waving his hand dismissively. "No, it's nothing. I should get going. I was just thinking- you _really_ are your mother's son, you know that?"

Lloyd wasn't sure if that was an insult or a compliment, and Kratos left before he could ask.

Oh, well. He'd take it as a compliment.

* * *

Zelos tapped his fingers against the edge of the table, staring down into his breakfast instead of eating it. He heard the clock in the next room chime eight times and sighed.

"Colette should be in class by now. I guess she really did take Adora with her. I wonder if she's mad at me for last night." Here he'd been, waiting all morning for her to show up so that he could apologize properly, and yet there was no sign of her. Seles shook her head, glaring at him from across the table.

"It wasn't your fault that you had to take me home. She probably didn't want to burden Miss Veronica with more work now that she has her hands full with me."

"Seles, dear, you're not a handful at all~" The woman's voice came from behind Seles as Veronica approached the table and placed a few pill capsules and a small cup of brown liquid beside Seles' plate. "I added some vitamin B12 for energy. We'll see if that does any good for you."

"Thank you, Miss Veronica." Seles nodded and began taking her medicine. Zelos watched and eventually sighed, pushing his plate away from him.

"If you would, tell Sebastian I'm finished with breakfast," he spoke with a wave to Veronica.

She frowned in response, offering a look of disapproval. "Zelos, darling, you've barely touched your eggs. Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine. Just not hungry for eggs this morning, is all." He shrugged and stood up, pushing his chair back under the table. "I'm going to head over to the grammar school to make sure everything's alright with Colette and Adora-"

"But Brother, you _promised_ ," Seles interrupted.

"I- what?"

"My piano lesson. You promised last night that we'd practice this morning. That's what gave me the motivation to get out of bed, you know!"

Zelos felt a blush creep over his face. "Oh, right. I'll definitely be ready to do that as soon as I get back-"

"You're _always_ bothering Colette at school- what kind of example does that set for her students? Let her do her job for once. You can visit during lunch hours."

"She's right, love." Veronica took Zelos' plate from the table, offering him a comforting smile. "Miss Brunel is a most responsible young woman. I'm sure she has the situation under her full control. You should worry less- all that frowning will lead to premature wrinkles, you know."

Zelos' hand flew to his face. "I'm _not_ getting wrinkles. My skincare regime is _flawless_."

Veronica ignored him. "I'll ask Sebastian to make you a cup of tea while you wait for Seles to finish breakfast."

"Thanks." Zelos nodded with a sigh. "I appreciate it."

After what had happened the night before, Seles performed surprisingly well. It wasn't until about halfway through the lesson that Zelos noticed her eyes starting to lose focus on the sheet music, and when he suggested they cut things short, she perked up again. He couldn't deny that she was well-practiced enough to perform at the formal dinner on Sunday night, but he still worried about her getting up in front of people like that. She was supposed to appear on stage with him at the picnic that afternoon, after all. But she was excited, and he couldn't begrudge her that. Reluctantly, he told her to keep practicing for the Sunday night performance.

By the time that early afternoon rolled around, Zelos had already set out for the school, his bag packed with a pair of packaged fruit parfaits- a special treat meant to drive home his apology to Colette. Meltokio's main square was already full of people setting up for Saturday's pre-celebration festivities, and it was hard not to be drawn in by the upbeat atmosphere. Zelos stopped at one point to appreciate the nice weather, and was almost immediately interrupted by the sound of his name being called.

"Hey! Zelos!"

He recognised the voice and spun on his heels. "Trevor?"

"Dude, how's Seles? Is she okay? Do you know what happened to her?" The questions began before Zelos could say anything else and he had to take a step back.

"Seles is fine. She just overexerted herself, is all. I took her home and got her in bed, and she was feeling better in no time-"

"That's such a relief to hear. She had us all really scared just falling out like that, y'know?"

Zelos nodded. "Thanks for looking out for her. It's good to know she has friends like you."

Trevor scratched the back of his head sheepishly, though he couldn't hide the bright grin on his face. "Aw, it's nothing. Seles is a great kid. Besides, we bastard aristocrats gotta stick together, right?"

"Well, thank you regardless." Zelos didn't feel like he had the right to do anything but acknowledge that last statement. He flipped his hair and offered a suave smile before turning back to the path. "It's good to see you. I look forward to the dinner on Sunday night-"

"Wait a minute! Don't go just yet!"

Trevor grabbed Zelos' arm, almost having to jump to do so. It knocked Zelos off-balance and he nearly fell over. He was about to scold Trevor for it, but he wasn't able to get a word in edgewise.

"Are you free for lunch today? You're usually free, right? Nancy and I are going out to lunch, and I was wondering if you wanted to tag along."

A lunch date with Trevor and Nancy? It sounded fun, but it was exactly what he _didn't_ need right now. The Meltokio Grammar School's lunch period only lasted an hour, after all.

Still, Zelos didn't want to hurt his friend's feelings. He gave his characteristic smirk along with a wink for good measure. "I know I'm a guy in high demand, but as a master of romance, I don't want to end up being a third-wheel. Maybe later I can bring Colette and we can do a double date-"

"No, that's not it," Trevor interrupted with a shake of his head. "Nancy's invited some old friends of hers from out of town to eat with us. I don't know 'em, and I don't want to be the odd one out…" He bowed his head and clasped his hands together. "...please, can you hang out with us? Just for a little while?"

Zelos felt bad for Trevor, he really did, but he just couldn't. Shaking his head, he began "I wish I could, but-"

" _There he is now! Oh, and Zelos too. Hi, Zelos!_ "

Before Zelos could get any further, Nancy appeared from around the corner, accompanied by three others who were trailing behind her. Zelos stiffened as he recognized them, already all-too familiar with that little posse from years of Wilder family reunions.

 _Oh gods, anyone but my_ cousins _. Sorry Trevor, but you're on your own._

"ZELOS!" One member of the group, a young woman wearing an outfit that _definitely_ would've earned her a dress-code violation if she'd set foot in the Meltokio Grammar School with it, bounded forward to greet Zelos. She covered this distance in an impressive four steps and threw herself into his arms, kissing him right on the mouth. He staggered backwards from her weight and finally gathered himself enough to place his hand on top of her head and wrench her away from his face.

"Ah, Stella. My favorite _first-cousin_." He spoke the last words pointedly, though with a smile. "How many years has it been now? I'd have thought you'd given up on me and found yourself a man with less, uh, _genetic relation_ to you."

Stella responded with a bubbly giggle, inching herself closer. "As if I could settle for any man but you, Zelos! Ancient royalty _always_ married their cousins to preserve the purity of the bloodline-"

"Just like old times, eh Zelos? Always a true ladies' man." A man with bright red hair pushed Stella aside so that he could toss a playful punch to Zelos' shoulder. "Nice to see some people never change."

"Emmett." Zelos gave the man a nod. "Though sometimes change isn't such a bad thing… I heard you were just given a big promotion within the treasury council. Guess it pays to be a graduate from the Tethe'allan Military Academy, huh?"

"They do train the best," Emmett replied with a wink. "But thanks. It's a pretty big deal- are you coming to lunch with us? I can tell you all about it-"

Trevor stepped in, allowing Zelos some relief. "Sorry, I invited him but he was just telling me that he can't stay. But _I'd_ love to hear your story, Mister uh-"

"Emmett." Nancy gestured back and forth between the group. "Emmett, Stella, Taylor, this is my husband that I've been telling you about. Trevor, these are my friends."

Taylor glanced him over, adjusting a pair of thick-framed glasses. "I see. So this is the commoner. He looks just as _quaint_ as I'd imagined him to."

Zelos felt a surge of anger in his throat at the statement, but he choked it back and forced a smile at them. "I-It's great to see you all again, but I'd better be-"

"Aww, Zelos, you're not staying?" Stella grabbed his arm again. "I was so looking forward to holding hands under the table~."

Emmett rolled his eyes. "Stel, you can't expect him to drop everything just for lunch with us. He's the _Chosen_. No matter what happens, the Chosen's job is never done. Right, Zelos?"

 _The Chosen, huh?_

Up until this point, Zelos had been trying to get away. But his cousin's stupid, smarmy face- the one he'd decided long ago that he didn't want anything to do with- was smiling back at him with an air of understanding. Like he _knew_ what being the Chosen meant. Like he _knew_ what the role of the Chosen was now that the worlds were reunited. The very thought dug at Zelos' skin like… well, just like that awful speech he'd been writing.

Was this what the outcome of the speech would be? Giving everyone in Meltokio- no, in the _world_ \- the right to think they knew who the Chosen was and what he should be doing?

 _Not a chance._

Before Zelos was totally aware of what he was doing, he reached a hand out and slapped it down on Emmett's shoulder. "Actually, I'm totally free this afternoon. Now that the worlds are reunited, there's not much for the Chosen to do. Let's all do lunch- _my treat_."


	16. Chapter 16

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 116:** **  
** _Mas olc am fitheach, chan fhearr a chomann._ _  
_If the raven is bad, his company is no better.

 **16-**

Zelos hadn't been expecting a fancy luncheon, but he always dressed his best while going out, and didn't look at all out of place. Nancy had reserved a private room for them in one of Meltokio's more popular restaurants, and while they could still hear the sound of the music being played somewhere in the background, it cut down on the noise of chatter from the other patrons. Having noticed Zelos' earlier reaction, Nancy and Trevor made a point of sitting on either side of him so as not to give Stella a chance to butt in. She made a show of pouting, but didn't put up a verbal protest.

The conversation started out very mundane. There was the examination of menus, with questions to the waiter as to which wines would pair well with the daily specials. Zelos implored the others to eat as extravagantly as they wished, since it was his treat, and so appetizers and entrees of all kinds were ordered. With that done, the waiter left the group alone.

Now the real conversation could begin.

"Were you at the fireworks display last night, Nancy?" Taylor asked as she poured herself a glass of wine from the carafe. "Stella and I didn't make it, but we heard it was splendid."

"We were there!" Trevor nodded enthusiastically. "The show was fantastic! Though Seles got sick beforehand, so we were worried about her during th-"

"I _believe_ ," Stella began, interrupting his statement, "she was speaking to _Nancy_."

Trevor blushed and looked down at the tablecloth. "O-oops. Sorry."

"It shouldn't matter, should it?" Nancy tried to laugh off the accusation. "I mean, we were together the whole time. Speaking of which, Zelos, how is your sister? Was she feeling better this morning?"

"Much better," Zelos nodded. "She was even able to practice the piano with me this morning. Sunday night she'll be performing Sonata No. 14 in C# minor, so you should be sure to come to the dinner to hear it."

"All of it?" Nancy gasped. "I practiced that when I studied piano, but I just couldn't manage the third movement."

Zelos laughed. "Oh, that's her favorite part. She likes to play with the suggestion of unbridled rage. I have to remind her not to ignore the _piano_ markings, or there's no point in the _sforzando_ -"

Emmett cleared his throat. "I didn't recall you ever having a sister," he spoke up. "Or is this, er-" He paused and looked away with an air of discomfort. "-Uncle Dion's… _half-elf lovechild_?"

Zelos bit his tongue to hold back a sharp remark. "Yes," he finally replied, "this is my sister, Seles, the child that Father had with the woman he _actually loved_. She lives with me in the family mansion."

"Whaaat? You let _her_ come live with you?" Stella whined, reaching across the table. "That's not fair! If a _half-elf_ gets to live with you, I want to come live with you too!"

Nancy cleared her throat. "I-It's not very nice to refer to half-elves with such a tone of voice. We're all supposed to be equals now, aren't we?"

Taylor kept her eyes locked on her wine glass as she swirled it, but she spoke with no hesitation. "There's no need to worry about political correctness when we're alone."

"I-I'm not trying to be politically correct, I'm just saying we shouldn't continue to perpetuate the harmful stereotypes that have-"

Zelos saw the glint in Emmett's eyes first, that look he got when he was annoyed and about to give someone a piece of his mind. Not wanting Nancy to fall into that trap so early, he looped his arm around her shoulder and broke in before Emmett had the chance.

"That's cool, Nan! But the fireworks- I didn't get to see them, remember? How were they?"

She gave him a surprised look, but he nodded in Emmett's direction and she seemed to understand. "Oh, they were… nice. Greene Park always has the best fireworks displays. The finale was a little loud, though."

"Stel and I missed it," Taylor gave a nod, "but I heard about it. Supposedly they had to ramp up security with the fear of another political riot still in the air. You know there's two fugitives still on the loose somewhere in Meltokio, right?"

"Yeah! Security was way tight just trying to get into the city gates!" Emmett grinned with his statement as though he'd forgotten his earlier ire. "I was honestly kinda disappointed something exciting didn't happen. Those religious kooks trying to prevent scientific progress are so funny, I wanted to see them just once."

Zelos cracked a half-smirk. "Seems a little sadistic to wish violence on such a happy occasion, don't you think?"

"I wasn't wishing for anything dangerous- just a little something to stir up trouble and get some idiots arrested. Work at the Treasury Council is so boring, sometimes I think it'd be more exciting to go back to Dad's estate and work the hotel- and that's _saying_ something."

Zelos kept his lips pressed together to keep himself from saying what he wanted to. It was too early in the conversation to go down that road just yet. Trevor, instead, was the one to speak up next.

"So you're a supporter of the Alpha-Beta project?"

"Oh yeah, totally. That researcher they've got working on it- what's her name, Low or something?- I heard she's the best in Tethe'alla."

"Professor Low was an instructor at the Imperial Research Academy when I was a student there," Taylor offered. "She wasn't particularly good at teaching, but her research accolades were unparalleled."

" _Plus_ ," Stella gave a wink, "she's got a half-elf assistant helping her out on the project. They know how to get things done right-"

Zelos found himself interrupting before he could stop himself. "-Raine isn't an _assistant_. She and Professor Low are _both_ senior authors on the project. Her surname just comes second alphabetically, that's all."

"That's true!" Nancy nodded. "Didn't you say she received a special recognition for archeological work in Sylvarant? She's unofficially recognized as the foremost archaeological researcher in Sylvarant, you told us."

"Right-"

"But of course," Taylor interrupted, "this is Sylvarant. They do things a little _differently_ there."

There was a moment of silence. Several members of the group glanced around uncomfortably.

"Wh-what do you mean by that?" Trevor finally spoke. " _I'm_ from Sylvarant, y'know."

Taylor had been about to take a sip from her wine glass, but she stopped with it pressed to her lips. "Oh, really? Nancy, you never told us you married a _Sylvaranti_. A commoner is one thing, but…"

"Does that really matter?" Nancy replied.

"It totally matters! That means he grew up in the _declining world_!" Stella stood up and leaned over the table toward Trevor. "I'm curious, what was it like? How did you manage growing up in the _slums_? Is it really just like in _Oliver Twist_? Do you know how to do magic tricks and pick pockets?"

Trevor frowned in discomfort. "Uh, the declining world was bad, but it wasn't like that. My parents are merchants, so we aren't exorbitantly wealthy, but we're definitely middle-class."

"Middle-class, hmm?" Taylor's voice had an air of disdain to it. "That's funny. _Middle-class._ "

"Hey, the middle-class is an extremely important part of any capitalist economic model," Zelos piped up. "We all learned that in school, right?"

Taylor glanced away, but Emmett offered a laugh. "Yeah, Zelos, we know you're smart and all. You don't have to rub it in. I don't really care about the whole middle-class thing, I was just surprised because he doesn't seem like your type. He seems awfully… _tame_."

Trevor opened his mouth to protest, but he couldn't make anything out before Stella chimed in. " _Yeah!_ I can't imagine anybody being with Zelos and then settling for anyone else~!"

Zelos stiffened and Nancy blushed. "Z-Zelos and I… that was a _long_ time ago. We were just teenagers." she stammered.

"I might not be a real ladies' man like Zelos," Trevor defended, "but I don't care as long as I can make Nan happy! Isn't that the most important thing?"

Emmett laughed again, this time pounding his hand on the table. "That's adorable! Of course that's what's important, you big romantic, you!" He caught his breath and continued with a wink toward Zelos. "And it's not like you have to worry about competition. I'd be surprised if there's a lady in Meltokio who _hasn't_ been nailed by Zelos."

Taylor was taking a drink from her second glass of wine, and nearly spit it out at the statement. Stella, sitting beside her, let out a whine and began to kick her legs.

" _Meeeee_! I haven't!"

Taylor averted her gaze from Stella. "I think there's a good reason for that, sis…"

Zelos could feel that his face was pale. He knew that, if he let himself open his mouth, there'd be no turning back. But the way Emmett was talking… he just couldn't take it. He stood up, leaning over the table toward his cousin.

"Um, I've never _nailed_ anyone. I've always given my partners an enjoyable experience based on their own tastes and requests because they're _people_ and they deserve that kind of respect. Or are you unfamiliar with that concept because you're more interested in girls who're _half your age_?"

Nancy gasped and tugged on Zelos' shirt. "Z-Zelos!" she gasped. "What are you-"

"Oh, don't give me that look." Zelos ignored her, keeping his gaze locked on Emmett. "You think it's a secret why your parents sent you off to the Military Academy? I heard it all from Aunt Charis, how you couldn't keep your hands off the servant girls. You think I'm going to take criticism on my love life from a damned _pedophile_?"

The side of Emmett's mouth twitched, but he managed to keep a smile. "Oh, c'mon. It's not like I had a ton of options. All our servants were either kids or super old-"

" _That's not an excuse!_ " Zelos shot back. "You knocked up a _thirteen-year-old child_! I heard Aunt Charis _crying_ about it to Sebastian!"

Taylor drew in a sharp breath and even Stella was still for a moment. Nancy began to stammer "that can't be-" but Emmett stood up and cut her off.

"Act all high and mighty if you want, but there's no need to lecture me in front of everybody. Nobody really got hurt. She was an early bloomer- you'd never have known how young she was. And all the servants were gonna help raise the kid anyway. It all worked out."

"How can you say it all worked out?" Zelos narrowed his eyes. "You ruined a child's life, Emmett."

"Being born to a teen mom isn't the worst thing that can happen to a baby."

"I was talking about the girl!"

Taylor finally turned to Emmett, her face pale and her mouth turned up into a scowl. "You bastard… I've never heard any of this. How can you speak about it so casually? These are children's lives you're talking about-"

"Oh, _Taylor,"_ Zelos interrupted, his expression having returned to a deadpan scowl. "Funny you seem to care about children's lives all of a sudden, when you clearly _didn't_ while you and your father were embezzling money from the charity your company was supposed to be supporting."

Nancy covered her mouth to suppress a gasp. Trevor shrunk back in his chair, wanting to move away from Zelos but not wanted to get any closer to Emmett.

"Sis…" Stella began, shrinking away from Taylor in surprise. "...when did this happen? You and Dad were working so hard to help the Children's Hospital-"

"We were losing profits in other sectors because of the sudden influx of Sylvaranti competition, and we didn't want to have to lay off workers," Taylor defended coldly. "We needed to get the money from somewhere."

"Did it ever occur to you that you could take the money out of your own obscenely large paychecks rather than stealing it from _sick children_?" Zelos spat.

"The hospital never knew that the funds would've come to them to begin with. We weren't targeting anyone personally, so it isn't like anyone got hurt." She tossed a glare at Emmett in an attempt to shift the blame back, but Zelos wasn't having it.

"So you wouldn't steal a kid's lunch money in front of their face, but you'd systematically strip millions of gald from an organization preventing kids from dying? Wow, you really _are_ a saint."

"I never said it was the right thing to do," Taylor closed her eyes and turned her head away, "but some things must be done for the good of the business. I have no regrets."

"N-no regrets? Sis!" Stella slid her chair back. "How _could_ you-?"

" _Stella._ My favorite cousin." Zelos' voice turned sickly-sweet, and a smile passed over his face. "Don't think I don't have dirt on you too."

She stiffened, suddenly shifting her gaze around. "Zelos, darling, what are you talking about? I haven't done anything wrong. Unless-" She paused and used her napkin to dab at her cheek as though there were tears to wipe away. "-loving you is a crime. In that case, I must admit my guilt."

"Oh, can it. I _wish_ incestuous fantasies were the worst you've done. I'm talking more along the lines of last spring, at Ayers Festival-"

Stella was on her feet suddenly, cutting him off. "How do _you_ know about that?!"

Taylor answered instead. "Sis, just because you managed to avoid lawsuits doesn't mean that word didn't get around."

"And by _avoid_ , you mean some money exchanged hands, right?" Zelos asked. "Just like with the Children's Hospital?"

Taylor said nothing, and Stella sat back down with a sheepish expression. Emmett leaned back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head. "So what's the takeaway here? You're a good person and we're all scum? Do you feel better about yourself now, mister Chosen?"

Zelos sneered. "Me, a good person? Not a chance. I've done way worse than any of you have. For gods' sakes, at one point I would've been content to let the world _burn_ if it meant I didn't have to go out of my way. Have fun and don't try too hard- that was the kind of life we _all_ lived. And I _enjoyed_ it. I felt _good_ about screwing over other people's lives for my own personal benefit. It was sick and twisted and I _knew_ it, and I was _okay_ with it."

"Z-Zelos…" Trevor reached out and tugged on his arm. "You…"

"Nothing will ever be enough to fix some of the things I did," Zelos continued. He looked at each of his cousins in turn, though Stella and Taylor were avoiding eye contact and Emmett really didn't seem to care. "But that doesn't mean I'm not trying, and it doesn't mean there aren't people willing to forgive me. The woman I love… five years ago I kidnapped her and turned her over to an organization that was planning to kill her. The only reason I have any right to even be _near_ her right now is because she's capable of forgiving the unforgivable. She and my sister and the rest of my friends…"

Zelos let his sentence trail off with a sigh. He reached into his coat pocket for his coin purse and began rifling through it, pulling out enough gald to cover the entire party's meal and then some, stacking it on the table.

"I need to remember that I'm still earning that forgiveness- 'cause if I forget, then I'll end up back in my old, awful ways, justifying my old behavior. I'm at least _trying_ to recognize my faults and better myself as a person. I thought maybe you guys were too, but I guess that was just wishful thinking." He finished stacking the coins and stepped away from the table, buttoning his coat and heading for the door before anyone could stop him. "I apologize for yelling at you, and I'm sorry for ruining your lunch. If it makes you feel any better, nothing I said will leave this room- not from me, anyway. But I hope you'll at least _think_ about what I said. If you'll excuse me, I'm late for lunch with my number one hunny."

A couple of people called his name as he left, but he didn't pay attention. He didn't want to say anything that would make things worse, not after he'd apologized. The whole thing had him so worked up, all he wanted was to get to the Grammar School and see the smiling faces of Colette and all the kids. But as he made it out of the restaurant entrance, he heard someone trailing him, calling his name.

If it had been anyone else, he would've ignored them and walked faster. But for Trevor… he'd stop.

"Zelos! Hey, wait!" Trevor approached Zelos, pausing to catch his breath. "Nan wanted to say that she's so, _so_ sorry about all that. She had no idea-"

"It's not her fault," Zelos replied. "And anyway, that shouldn't keep her from giving them a chance. If Lloyd and Colette and the others hadn't given me a chance, even after knowing what a horrible person I was, I wouldn't have made any progress at all. And I probably wouldn't be _your_ friend either."

Trevor looked down at his feet. "They did say some pretty awful stuff to Nan and me. But… when you were talking about what happened years ago, that Emmett guy seemed really uncomfortable remembering, and Taylor was so quick to make excuses that I don't know if she really believed she was right or not. I think they really do regret what they did, they're just not humble enough to admit it yet."

For the first time since the argument had started, Zelos found himself with a genuine smile. He placed a hand on Trevor's shoulder.

"For me, those guys would be a bad influence. They'd drag me back down where I came from. But you, you're a good person. If you're willing- and _only_ if you're willing- to give them a chance, maybe you and Nancy could do them some good."

Trevor blushed and offered a smile in reply. "I… _would_ like to show them how nice Sylvarant is. Palmacosta is especially great this time of year with all the migratory birds from the north."

"There you go! You've already got something to talk about!" Zelos offered him a thumbs-up. "You go in there and make them regret every bad thing they've ever said about Sylvarant and its people, okay?"

"I will! B-but, in a good way, obviously. Thanks." Trevor nodded. "You go have fun with Colette, alright?"

"You bet I will."

* * *

Zelos knew a shortcut, and was able to make it to the Grammar School just before the lunch period ended. He figured he'd drop by just long enough to apologize, give Colette one of the parfaits, and take Adora off her hands. Once he made it there, he ducked into the classroom to find her setting up for afternoon activities and rather than interrupt her, he stayed and watched for a short while. Finally, she finished setting art supplies out on each desk and turned around to see him in the doorway. The bright smile that lit her face could've melted his heart.

 _Of course she isn't mad about yesterday. She's forgiven way worse from me._

"Zelos!" Colette ran back to the door to greet him with a hug. "It's so good to see you! How is Seles? Is everything alright?"

"Seles is fine," Zelos replied, having to choke back a laugh of relief. "She got a good night's sleep and is feeling a lot better today."

"Really? I'm so relieved to hear that!"

"You and me both, hunny." Zelos leaned in to kiss her forehead. "I'm so sorry about what happened last night. Did Adora sleep okay? I was worried the fireworks would spook her and keep her up."

Colette took a step back. "I don't know, _did_ she? I haven't spoken to Miss Veronica today, so I wouldn't know. She seemed to be fine with the fireworks, but-"

"Wait," Zelos broke in, cutting her off, "what do you mean? Adora was with you last night, wasn't she? Veronica and I haven't seen her."

An uneasy feeling started to creep up his back as he watched Colette's expression completely change. Her eyes lost their cheerful sparkle and her mouth turned up into a frown. She opened her mouth to speak, and while Zelos knew what she was about to say, he hoped and prayed that he was wrong- that somehow she wasn't going to say what he thought she was.

No such luck.

"I… thought she was with _you_."


	17. Chapter 17

As usual, I don't own anything- _nor can I keep track of the days of the week_ \- I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 115:**  
 _Is trom snighe air taigh gun tughadh._  
Rain falls heavy on a house unthatched.

 **17-**

"I thought she was with you."

Zelos had known what to expect coming out of Colette's mouth, but it still sent a shock of panic through him. He felt his body go stiff and his hands start to twitch.

"No, I never saw her. Did you bring her back by the mansion? I'd have wanted to talk to you if you did. Song said Yuan walked you home, so I just assumed-"

"He did. I asked Yuan to take her back to _you_."

"But Yuan wasn't..." Zelos' voice trailed off and he suddenly stopped, mumbling a string of curse words under his breath that ended in " _Yuan_."

"Zelos?" Colette pressed closer to him in concern. "What's going on? Where's Adora? This isn't a joke, is it? _Please_ , tell me you're joking-"

A few children were beginning to wander back into the classroom from lunch, so Zelos grabbed Colette's hands to quiet her.

"Shh, it's okay. It's okay. Don't worry about it. I'll go find her. Yuan probably decided it was so late, he'd keep an eye on her overnight. I'll head over to his place, have a little chat with him, and get her home to Veronica. No harm, no foul."

"Are you sure that's all it is?" Colette asked. "If Yuan disappeared, then-"

"You saw how much he yelled at me for the way I was taking care of her, right? He was probably being selfish and figured he could do a much better job babysitting than I could." Zelos was trying to force a smile, if only to keep Colette from getting any more upset. "That sounds very _Yuan_ , I think. I'm sure she's with him and she's perfectly fine."

"I-If you say so…" Colette stammered. She was glancing back and forth between Zelos and the students who were coming in, gathering around with interest as they recognized Zelos. "I can always get a substitute for the rest of the day and-"

"No, don't go to all that trouble. It'll be fine. By tonight, we'll both be laughing about this- trust me."

The words seemed almost enough to reassure her, and so he leaned down for a kiss to seal the deal. There was an outburst of gasps, laughter, and ' _ewww'_ s from the students, and by the time that Zelos pulled away from what he considered to be a very chaste kiss all things considered, there was already an uproar in the classroom.

" _Ewwww!_ " _"Zelos_ kissed _Miss Brunel!"_ " _Gross!_ " " _Now they have cooties!_ "

"Hey, now," Zelos turned back to the kids, waving a hand to quiet them down. "The idea that kissing inevitably leads to cooties is just a misconception. If you kiss responsibly and get tested regularly, you have nothing to worry about-"

"Zelos, _please_." Colette gave him a push from behind, and he noted with satisfaction the amused blush on her face. "Thank you for visiting, but we do have a lot to finish up before the end of the day."

"That's fair." Zelos nodded in reply as he fished one of the parfaits- lukewarm, but probably still good- out of his bag and set it on the table. "Adora and I will see you later on tonight. Take it easy, okay? Everything's going to be fine."

As he continued out of the classroom and into the hallway, Colette smiled and waved. "Thank you! With you helping out, I know everything is okay."

Zelos kept his fake smile until he made it out of the school building and was part of the way down the sidewalk. He let himself curse again, this time louder and with more emphasis on the " _Yuan_ " part. He was making a beeline for Yuan and Song's storefront on Southwest Boulevard, and if anyone had the misfortune of trying to stop him or getting in his way, they were going to be in for an unpleasant surprise.

Things were _not_ okay.

* * *

 _What the hell kind of store isn't open on a weekday afternoon?_

Zelos had spent at least an hour around the couple blocks of Southwest Boulevard where the ceramics shop was set up. When he'd arrived, he found the shop closed. Assuming that they were just taking a long lunch break, he'd shrugged it off, gone down the street for some afternoon tea, and returned once he'd gotten some food to settle his churning stomach. Zelos was certain that he'd find the little store open by that point, but… no dice.

Frustrated and unsure of what to do, he tried to get a look in the window to see if anyone was inside. An inspection of the main shop area found it completely empty, and when he went around back to look in the showroom portion, he found the same. From the back alley he was able to descend the stairs to the basement workshop entrance, but several minutes of knocking led to nothing there. As a last resort, he scrambled up the fire escape and knocked on the window of the second floor apartment. If there was anybody there, they should hear him.

After another few minutes with no response, Zelos leaned against the window and looked inside, trying to make out what he could past the sheer curtains. It was a kitchen area with a small table, and while it was as eerily empty as the rest of the building, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary. A few pots sat in the sink to be washed, a kettle was left on the stovetop even though it clearly wasn't burning, there were some cups and plates left on the table along with- _bingo!_ An infant's bottle!

"Damn that Yuan… he really did take her." Zelos stepped back from the window, shaking his head. "So where the hell is he?"

With no obvious answers to his questions, Zelos climbed down from the fire escape and hurried back out to the main street, lest someone discover him and he look like a thief. That kind of sensational headline was the opposite of what he needed right now.

As he continued down the sidewalk, he heard the sound of the nearby clock tower chiming the half-hour. Not having paid attention to the time, he pulled his watch out of his pocket to double-check. Something nagged at the back of his mind- there was something else he had to do today, wasn't there? It was already three-thirty, and-

 _Crap! Genis and Raine were coming this afternoon, weren't they?_

Zelos turned on his heels and raced back to the mansion, praying he wasn't too late to welcome the guests _he'd_ invited.

* * *

"Well, I think that's everything."

Lloyd glanced around his bedroom, trying to spot anything that might be out of place. He'd finished packing all the belongings he was taking with him to Meltokio for the festival, but there was still a feeling that he'd forgotten something. He turned back to Sheena with a frown.

"We're not missing anything, are we?"

"You're the one who said that was everything," she replied with a shrug. "Did you remember to get the keys to the studio?"

"Yep, got 'em."

"Something nice to wear for the dinner on Sunday night?"

"Zelos told me he'd get me something," Lloyd replied with a grin.

"Your formal invitation from Zelos to bypass the extra screening for entrance to Meltokio?"

There was a pause following that one. Lloyd glanced to the side with a slight blush. "That… would be what I forgot."

" _Lloyd!_ "

As he scrambled to add the forgotten item to his already overfilled suitcase, Sheena took a step out onto the porch to examine the weather. It had finally stopped raining, and the skies were clear with only a few sparse clouds. That would make traveling much easier, and she was grateful for it. But this time when she walked out, she found a set of boxes sitting on the porch that hadn't been there before. Curious, she checked them and noted that they'd arrived in the mail, both addressed to Lloyd. One had a return address from Meltokio, so she picked that one up first. It wasn't large, but it was _heavy,_ and she hadn't the slightest idea what someone from Meltokio- Zelos, perhaps?- would've sent Lloyd that he wasn't planning on simply giving him when they met up.

"Lloyd, the mail came," she said, stepping inside with the heavy box. "There's another package out there. Did you mail-order something from Meltokio?"

Lloyd had just finished dragging his suitcase into the living room and had to stop momentarily to catch his breath. "N-no. What in the world is _that_?"

"I don't know. It's yours, so you should open it. I'll go get the other one."

Confused but intrigued, Lloyd took the box to the kitchen table and began opening it. It was carefully packaged, so much so that it was difficult to retrieve from the box, but he eventually was able to produce a small, cauldron-like piece of stoneware. It wasn't clear at first what it was, so Lloyd sat down to examine it. It was a soft green color, standing on three legs with ornate patterns etched into the sides. He traced his finger over the smooth surface in awe, not sure what to make of it.

"Sheena, what's this?" he finally asked as she returned with the second box. She glanced down at the long, thin package in her hands and held it up so he could see better.

"I'm ninety-nine percent sure this is a sword."

"N-no, not that. I mean this ceramic thing. It's pretty, but what's it for?"

Sheena frowned and examined it. "It's shaped like a Bronze-age ritual cauldron, but I think… it's just a fancy incense burner. Who sent you this? Is there a note?"

"Oops! I didn't check!" Lloyd dug into the box again and pulled out a small envelope. The back of the envelope had the seal of Song and Yuan Ceramics, which Lloyd recognized immediately. Feeling more confident about the object now that he knew its source, he tore into the envelope to read the note. "I think Yuan's buddy made this. But why would he sent it to me...?"

"What's the note say?"

"It says…" Lloyd began to read and frowned as he continued. "... _Happy unification day or whatever. From Kratos._ What the hell? Happy unification day ' _or whatever?'_ Why would Kratos send me this?"

Sheena gave Lloyd a gentle punch on the arm. "What do you mean, why would he send you this? It's obviously a gift. Don't be ungrateful."

"I'm not ungrateful! I just…" Lloyd bent down so that he was at eye-level with the table and scrutinized the incense burner a little bit more. "... _why_ …?"

Sheena picked up the card from the table and read over it. " _This celadon-glazed censer is shaped to resemble the traditional_ ding _of religious ceremonies long past. It's perfect for burning incense in a small space and would be right at home on the desk of a scholar or artist._ " She stopped and shrugged. "Well, I guess we know he didn't choose it for its functionality. Maybe he just wanted to support Yuan's business."

Lloyd stood up again, heaving a sigh. "That makes sense, I guess. And it's the thought that counts- he didn't _have_ to get me something, after all. I'll have to thank him when I see him again."

Sheena nodded and offered the second package. "And I have a feeling you might like this one better."

"We don't know for sure it's a sword, though." Lloyd accepted the package with a shrug of his shoulders and set it down on the table, trying to figure out the best way to open it. "For all we know, it could be a really long, thin vase."

"I'll bet you anything it's a sword."

"I would happily take that bet, because I'd win either way-" Lloyd began, but he stopped as he began to unwrap the packaging and found himself facing an intricate metal hilt. He stopped breathing momentarily, only to resume with a gasp and a scramble to completely unwrap it.

"No way. No _way_. It was only _yesterday_ I said something- how'd he get this to me so fast?"

"Lloyd?" Sheena began, inching forward curiously. "What are you talking about?"

Lloyd removed the last of the packaging and pulled the sword from its sheath. It was a beautiful piece of work, from the ornate basket hilt to the intricate carvings on the guard and fuller, to the bevel of the blade itself. Lloyd was speechless for a long time before he finally choked out "...a proper _claidheamh beag_ …"

Sheena knew better than to interrupt him at this point, so she took a step back and watched him examine every detail of the sword in turn.

"...this isn't one of the standard militia ones either- it's a custom piece. How long had he been planning to give this to me?" Lloyd found himself laughing in spite of himself. "Kratos, you trickster, you! Listening to me ask for one of these when you were already planning to give me one!"

"I take it you're a little more satisfied with this one?" Sheena asked, giving him a nudge.

"I don't know," he replied, a note of sarcasm in his voice. "That incense burner is awfully nice."

Sheena smirked. "The sword can't even hold a candle to it, right?"

A moment passed and suddenly Lloyd's eyes lit up. A wry smile passed over his face and he pointed toward Sheena, making her realize what she'd said. She slapped a hand over her mouth, but it was already too late.

" _Hah!_ A candle! Sheena, that's a good one-"

"Th-that wasn't-! I mean, I didn't mean to-!" She protested as he wrapped his free hand around her shoulder and pulled her in to press a string of kisses to her cheek. The sensation made her giggle, and while she tried to push him away, it was clearly more of a symbolic gesture than an actual attempt at freeing herself. "You're such a dork, Lloyd!"

By the time their focus shifted back to what they were doing before, the package the sword had arrived in- and the small note that had been included- were all but forgotten.

* * *

To Zelos' relief, Genis and Raine had only just arrived by the time he made it back to the mansion. Sebastian had seen them in and told them to wait for Zelos in the second floor parlor, and so Zelos sprinted up the stairs and made it to the door in a split second, leaning on the door frame in an attempt to cut a casual profile.

"Well, hello there. Fancy-" Zelos had to pause to catch his breath. "-meeting you guys here."

Raine and Genis were there, along with their guests, a young woman who looked to be around Genis' age and a little girl. The two unfamiliar faces took on a look of concern, but the Sage siblings were unimpressed.

"You look like you just ran a marathon," Raine commented with a frown. "Don't tell me you forgot we were coming."

"A marathon? Come now, Professor, I can't look _that_ bad." Zelos ran a hand through his hair, trying to take advantage of the situation to look cool. "And there's no way I could forget about my friends!"

Genis looked like he had something he wanted to say, but Zelos saw him glance over at the little girl before looking away and keeping his mouth shut. _So that's how it is, huh_? _Ungrateful…_ Not wanting to dwell on it, Zelos slid over to address the two he hadn't met, holding out a hand for the young woman to shake.

"Sorry for not introducing myself properly, Miss. The great Zelos Wilder, at your service. You must be Genis' girlfriend- what a beauty!"

She blushed and responded with a smile as she shook his hand. "Y-you're too kind, Mister Wilder-"

" _Zelos_ is fine, honey." He tossed her a wink. "And what should I call you?"

"Nika. I'm Nika Wilbur. And, uh, this is my sister."

Still seeming nervous, Nika gestured to the little girl by her side, who seemed to share none of her older sister's hesitance. Bianca walked up to Zelos with a proud grin. "I'm Bianca! It's nice to meet you, Mister Zelos! You have a biiiiig house!"

"Why, thank you, Miss Bianca. I'm thrilled to have you in my big house." Zelos made a show of bowing in her direction. "I hear you're a student at the Palmacosta Academy, is that right? How old are you?"

"That's right! I'm seven!" Bianca held up seven fingers. Her enthusiasm was contagious and Zelos fought back a laugh as he responded, unable to resist teasing her a little.

"Seven _what_?"

"Huh?"

"Well, you're a scientist, aren't you?" Zelos crossed his arms. "Any scientist knows you can't throw numbers around without providing the units. That leaves people to guess- are you seven _months_? Seven _decades_? Seven-"

"Seven _years_!" Bianca spluttered through a laugh. "I'm not a baby!"

Zelos nodded. "That would've been my hypothesis, but it's not prudent to make assumptions before you have evidence. Right?"

Bianca was smiling from ear to ear by this point and she clung to the hem of Zelos' coat. "Genis, I _like_ your friend!"

Zelos expected a wry comment in response, but Genis seemed genuinely pleased. "Good. I'm glad to hear it."

Raine stepped forward, clearing her throat and addressing Zelos directly. "I want to thank you again for hosting us. I understand you're very busy during these sort of events, so I'm grateful f-"

Zelos cut her off by throwing his arm around her shoulder. "You're too formal, Professor! Have a little fun! It's boring around here without you guys- once Colette gets home from work and Lloyd and Sheena get here, we can _really_ party!"

"I appreciate the offer, but I'd really rather get some rest…" Raine murmured, glancing away. "But speaking of Colette, how is the baby she's caring for? _Adora_ , I think she called her? Who's taking care of her while Colette is working?"

Zelos' stomach churned and he let go of Raine immediately, hoping she didn't notice the way he stiffened up at the mention. "O-oh, her? She's great! Adorable kid, well-behaved, just a delight to have around! Right now Yuan is babysitting her, so she's not around, but-"

"Yuan?" Genis asked. "As in, Renegades, Yuan?"

"That's the one!" Zelos flashed Genis a thumbs-up, praying that he was doing a good job of selling the _everything's-alright_ mood. "I was surprised, but he's actually a really good babysitter. He knows a lot about childcare and nutrition and those sorts of things. He scolded melast night when he thought I wasn't doing things correctly, being a real stickler for proper handling and feeding, y'know?"

"I see." Raine's expression was difficult to read. "That's unexpected, but considering how long he's lived, I can believe it…"

"Hey, hey!" Bianca shoved herself in between Raine and Zelos, tugging at the sleeve of Raine's robe. "Can Mister Zelos come with us to visit Professor Low? Please-oh-please?"

Raine tugged her sleeve away and placed a hand on Bianca's head. "Zelos might have other things to do, but we'll certainly invite him. Why don't you go unpack your things while Genis and I talk with him?"

Nika took ahold of her sister's hand and gently pulled her away. "Come on, Bianca. The nice butler is going to show us to our room."

"You should come with us, Mister Zelos!" Bianca called and waved as she exited the room. "Professor Low is super cool!"

Zelos waved until she had turned the corner, and by the time he returned his attention to Raine and Genis, Raine had already begun speaking again.

"I'm sorry to impose on you so suddenly, but if you could accompany us, I'd be grateful. You might be able to help us with something."

"Seems I'm a popular guy, aren't I?" Zelos shrugged. "I have some things I need to take care of this evening, but I could spare a few minutes. What's going on?"

Genis replied, looking uneasy as he spoke. "We were hoping you could help us find someone. Do you know a Doctor Watson?"

"This may not necessarily be a medical doctor," Raine broke in, "but rather, someone with a post-office box in Meltokio who has unofficial ties with the Palmacosta University."

Zelos thought for a moment. "I can't say I recognize the name, but I'll help however I can. I may not know this person, but trust me... if they're in Meltokio, I can _find_ them."


	18. Chapter 18

It's been a long time, hasn't it? I apologize; I've been feeling really uninspired to post with lack of feedback and such, but taking a break from posting has allowed me to generate more of a "buffer" between where I'm posting and the point to which I've written. That'll allow me to continue posting during November, when I usually take a break due to Nanowrimo. I hope that, if there are people reading, you're still enjoying the story. Thank you very much- and, of course, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction.

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 120:  
** _An rud a nitear sa chuil, thig e dh'ionnsaigh an teine.  
_ What's done in the corner will come to the hearth.

18-

Zelos knew that Professor Low had been an instructor at the Imperial Research Academy prior to her transfer to Palmacosta University for the Alpha-Beta project, so he'd assumed that her permanent Tethe'allan residence was in Sybak. He was surprised that her home would be in Meltokio- in the nobles' quarter, no less- and even moreso at the size and grandeur of it. It wasn't quite as large as the Wilder mansion, but it had the same architectural style to it, along with a sprawling front garden filled with statues and an elaborate fountain. It didn't matter how much money she might have made off her magitechnology patents, this was _not_ the home of new money.

 _So she's a scientist_ and _an heiress, huh? Go figure._

At a mansion that size, Zelos expected a servant to greet them at the door. But even before they made it to the front porch, a tall woman burst through the door, all smiles and energy.

"Raine, Genis, Bianca! Oh, I'm so glad you made it! Come inside, please. There's tea and lemon scones waiting just for you."

"You didn't have to do that-" Raine began, but Professor Low had already reached her and grabbed her hands.

"Nonsense! This is your first time visiting my family home. I want to give you a warm welcome." She offered a wink. "Besides, you said you wanted to talk about something important, right? Lemon balm has been shown to improve memory and mental acuity as well as acting as relaxant. You seem stressed."

Raine sighed, unable to help a faint smile. "That's probably what we need. Thank you. In the meantime, this is our friend, Zelos. You remember him from the other day, don't you? I thought he could help us out, so I asked him to come along."

Zelos had never seen someone turn Raine's mood around so rapidly. He wondered if perhaps it was just the result of forming a good working partnership, or if… _No, now's not the time to jump to conclusions like that._ He stepped forward, about to offer his hand to shake, but Professor Low grabbed it before he even had the chance.

" _Oh_ , I do remember you! Zelos Wilder, right? I was disappointed that I wasn't able to speak with you more on Tuesday. I've wanted a proper introduction to you for some time." She pumped his hand up and down.

"I see my reputation precedes me," he replied with a wink, though he was secretly a little disappointed. Even if she was a renowned scientist, he shouldn't have expected her to be any different from the average person starstruck by meeting the _Chosen_ -

"And what a reputation it is! You were the valedictorian at the Imperial Research Academy the year before I started teaching. I saw you at the graduation ceremony- your speech was impeccable. Where are you working now?"

"I manage several family businesses and assets. My family is a part-owner in multiple shipping services and energy providers, and I also do some financial advising work for the Lezareno Company-"

"Not Research & Development?" Professor Low interrupted with a frown. "I would've thought, with your grades, you could make some major scientific breakthroughs."

"Oh, w-well, science wasn't really my thing. I'm more of a mathematics guy- my favorite class was macroeconomics with Dr. Onslow. Do you remember him?"

"Onslow?" The mention of the name brought a smile back to Professor Low's face. "He helped me with the patent filing process on my first prototype microreactor!" She swung her arm around Zelos' shoulder and ushered him in. "I should've known any friend of Raine and Genis would be as intellectual as yourself. We have a lot to discuss, Mister Wilder!"

Zelos glanced back at the others as they follow him inside. They were uneasy, he could tell, but there wasn't much he could do about that. The situation would just have to work itself out.

* * *

While a servant brought the tea to the library for the guests, Professor Low waved him off and poured the tea for everyone herself. As she did so, she and Zelos talked about the Alpha-Beta project and the work that had been done since her and Raine's last publication had come out. "We've managed to register on a standard calorimeter," she was saying as she handed the last cup to Nika, "but we don't have enough evidence to officially confirm it yet. We had some error in our methods, and will have to redo the experiment after the festival ends."

"That's incredible," Zelos murmured, genuinely impressed by the news. He'd read the press release surrounding the last publication, but he hadn't realized how far they'd come. "I've really gotta hand it to you ladies, you're performing miracles over in that lab of yours. Top-notch brains _and_ ravishing beauty- is there anything you two _don't_ have?"

Professor Low giggled, but Raine gave a long-suffering sigh and Genis scoffed. "Don't let Zelos' charm fool you," he warned. "It gets old _really_ fast."

Zelos tossed a playful punch at Genis' shoulder that might've held a _little_ too much effort for just joking around. "Hey, at least you called me charming! Thanks, buddy!"

"You look like you're feeling much better than you were on Wednesday," Professor Low commented, turning the conversation towards Genis instead. "I'm glad to see that."

"Oh? Genis was feeling under the weather?" Zelos glanced over beside him. "I guess it is flu season, huh?"

"I-I wasn't that sick," Genis defended. "It was just that I was running around in the rain all day on Tuesday. Remember?"

"Oh yeah, from the Great Tree, right?"

Professor Low frowned, glancing down at her cup of tea. "I'm sorry, Genis. I shouldn't have made you go all the way back to the Tree to look for that box. Not with the weather like it was-"

"N-no, don't apologize!" Genis set his cup down on the table to wave his hands. "That was the smartest thing to do in your situation. I'm just sorry I wasn't able to find the box-"

Bianca had ignored the tea and stood up on the couch, trying to find a perch where she could see the whole library. Upon hearing Genis' reply, she jumped from the back of the couch onto his shoulders. "Box? What box are you talking about?"

"Oh, th-that's-"

"Genis helped rescue a child who'd been abandoned near the Great Tree," Raine broke in. Zelos could tell from the hesitance in her voice that she was trying to find the most tactful way to explain the situation. "She'd been abandoned along with a wooden box, but in their scramble to get her help, Genis and his friends left the box behind."

"...I see." Bianca murmured. "But why would somebody abandon a kid? Where's her family?"

"They might not have been able to take care of her." Nika reached out and tugged on Bianca's dress, trying to drag her off of Genis and back to her own seat. "Not every child is lucky enough to have a family that loves them and takes care of them."

Bianca slid off of Genis' shoulders, an uneasy expression on her face. "They don't even have a big sister to help them?"

"No, they don't."

There was an awkward pause as Bianca settled back into her seat and turned her attention to munching on a scone instead. Zelos saw the opportunity to speak up before the conversation took a different turn, so he made sure to be the first to begin again.

"Speaking of that box, though, I have a question that I'm wondering if you could answer."

"Oh?" Raine looked over in surprise. "Us, as in-"

"You and Professor Low. See, I'd been doing some thinking about it, and I just can't imagine that Colette and the others found the box less than a few hours after it was buried. That's just too convenient, especially because of the rain we've had recently. It's a terrible time to bury anything. So that led me to wonder exactly how Adora survived being trapped in there for an indeterminate amount of time. I was wondering if either of you had heard of a magical technique known as... what was it... _photoinduced biostasis_?"

Once again the room went quiet, but this time it was a more pensive silence. Raine and Professor Low glanced at one another, seemingly expecting the other to speak up first. When neither did, Genis broke in.

"I assume you're talking about some form of preservation technique, right? But I've never heard of a light-induced stasis."

"I'm afraid I haven't heard of such a thing either," Raine admitted. "Most of the types of stasis I've seen in development have been through cryopreservation, and even then, we haven't perfected them. How would someone even-?"

"I recall seeing such a thing in some of my early studies on light," Professor Low offered. "As a student at the Meltokio Grammar School, I was placed on a team asked to develop a low-emission, low-consumption lighting system for the Church of Martel. There was a footnote in one of the manuals they gave us on photon properties about a method that was once used for preservation, but it was purportedly lost during the decline of the worlds. I've looked for such mentions in other texts since then, but have never seen it again, so I wondered if I'd imagined it due to the stress of overworking."

"You didn't imagine it. When I was working with Cruxis, I came across it in a book about lost artes."

"Lost..." Raine began, and Professor Low finished the sentence for her.

"...artes?" Both pairs of eyes glinted with a sense of awe and curiosity, and suddenly Zelos felt a wave of self-consciousness that he wasn't used to. These scientists- experts in this field, no less- were looking to him for information. And the only reason he knew it was...

As if reading his thoughts, Bianca spoke up. "Mister Zelos? I'm confused. I thought Cruxis were bad guys."

"B-Bianca!" Genis gasped. "Cruxis was-"

But before he could continue, Zelos broke in again. "Yeah, they were real bad guys. I was a bad guy too. But Genis and his friends found me. They made me-" He paused to consider his phrasing. "-less of a bad guy."

"Oh! I see." To Zelos' surprise, Bianca readily accepted the explanation. "I'm glad! I'd hate for somebody cool like Mister Zelos to be a bad guy. Thanks, Genis!"

Genis glanced away awkwardly and muttered. "...I'm not the one you have to thank. If it wasn't for Lloyd, I'd have left him in the gutter somewhere."

Zelos threw an arm around Genis' shoulder and pulled him into an affectionate headlock. "You know you love me!"

"Z-Zelos! You jerk, let go of me-"

Raine cleared her throat conspicuously and Professor Low leaned forward to get the group's attention once again. "You were saying... something about a lost preservation arte?"

"Oh, yeah. Right." Zelos let go of Genis and sat up straight again. "The book contained only a handful of secondhand accounts from people who'd read old manuscripts, but apparently back before the Kharlan War, a group of elves in Heimdall had developed a magical technique that used light as a preservative agent to keep biological entities in suspended animation without destroying the cells. The book wasn't totally clear about the method- I don't think the writers knew themselves- but it had something to do with the fact that, as an object approaches the speed of light, time slows down. Therefore, time never passes for light itself and photons don't experience the flow of time. So if you can give other particles the wave properties of photons..."

"I see what you're saying," Raine nodded as she heard his voice trail off. "But as nice as that sounds in theory, I can't imagine it's as easy to do."

"Oh, of course not." Zelos shook his head. "The sheer amount of power it would take to change the physical properties of living cells is mind-boggling. But that's what magic is all about- finding ways to get around the energy requirements of chemical reactions."

"But Zelos," Professor Low broke in, barely containing her excitement. "If it was supposedly lost after the splitting of the worlds, then what are you implying?"

She knew, of course, but she was going to allow him the satisfaction of saying it. It was considerate, especially for someone who loved drama as much as Zelos did, but something about that kind of treatment made Genis uneasy. Was she taking this seriously?

"...there must be someone who still knows how to perform that arte."

Zelos spoke with as much gravity as he could muster, but it didn't seem to have an effect on Raine and Professor Low's enthusiasm. Genis could feel a blush of embarrassment coloring his cheeks as he realized that they'd both fallen into total ruin-mode. That didn't bode well for their intent to search for the mysterious Doctor Watson. Genis briefly considered changing the subject before Zelos could work the two scientists up any more, but he decided against it. As hard as they'd been working recently, they deserved a little fun.

Raine set her cup of tea back down on the table. "If someone has rediscovered a lost arte that powerful, it would be extraordinary- unprecedented, even! The scientific implications are simply astounding."

"We have to research this further," Professor Low said, practically hanging onto Raine's arm by this point. "If this person has rediscovered this arte, who knows what others they've learned. We could rewrite ancient textbooks!"

"The potential benefits to science would be enormous!"

"Not just to science- to the world!"

The excitement of the two was contagious, and Bianca had begun jumping up and down on the sofa. "Amazing! Amazing! You're amazing, Zelos!"

"Well, I try." Zelos cracked a proud smile as he spoke, which grated on Genis' nerves. He started to say something about the dangers that might be posed by a sorcerer who would use a baby as a test subject, but a soft sound from the other side of the sofa caught his attention. Nika had cleared her throat and was raising her hand to speak.

"I'm sorry, this might be a stupid question, but... if the spell keeps things in suspended animation, then it could've been placed anytime in the past. Is it possible that the box had been buried during the Kharlan War era, before the arte was lost?"

"Th-that's not a stupid question at all! It's a great question!" Genis answered before Raine or Professor Low could. He knew that his sister wouldn't belittle Nika for her ignorance, but Professor Low had a reputation around the university for being harsh on questioning students. "See, the box was buried around the root system of the Great Tree. It had to have been buried since the germination of the tree- within the last five years."

"I see." Nika nodded, an expression of determined understand on her face. "That makes sense."

"We need-" Professor Low jumped to her feet, almost knocking over the glasses of tea on the table as she hit it. "-to do some more research! My personal library here is extensive, but if even that isn't good enough, then we can go into the remaining archives of the Church of Martel. The more we know about this technique, the more easily we can find the sorcerer who can perform it!"

"Yes, exactly!" Raine jumped up, clinging to Professor Low's arm. Her eyes were glittering with the same excitement they had when she was in ruin-mode. Genis, remembering their original purpose for visiting, cleared his throat and tried to break in.

"Um, that's great, but what about searching for you-know-who-"

"Not now," Raine shot back, the light in her eyes not dimming. "The promise of scientific progress is always more important!"

"Who is this, now?" Professor Low asked.

"Someone from Metokio who was disrupting scientific endeavors in Palmacosta," Raine explained. "We were hoping you could help us find him, but this takes priority. If we let him distract us from this incredible breakthrough, we'd only be helping him further impede progress!"

Professor Low grabbed Raine's hands. "I couldn't have said it better myself! Come on- the library is waiting!" She almost left the room without acknowledging her other guests, but quickly peeked back into the doorway. "Oh, you all are welcome to stay as long as you like. Arthur will see you out once you're ready to leave."

"I'll be late!" Raine called with a wave as she followed. "Don't wait up!"

There was an awkward silence, and the feeling of the others staring at the empty doorway sent a pang of embarrassment through Genis' chest. Such an important visit, and it had been cut off before it had even started- thanks to those crazy archeology ladies. Genis didn't think he could possibly be any more mortified.

But, as usual, Zelos proved Genis wrong in that regard.

He leaned over and nudged Genis' arm, whispering under his breath so that Nika and Bianca couldn't hear. "They sure got out of here fast. Ten gald says they're already jumped each other's bones."

"That euphemism had better not mean what I think it means, or else-"

"What you've never heard that one? Are you really a university student?" Zelos slapped Genis on the back. "I thought you'd find it funny- y'know, archeologists, _bones_..."

"What about bones?" Bianca began to climb over Genis' lap again, and he placed a hand on her head.

"Don't worry about it. Zelos made a joke, but it wasn't funny."

"I thought my joke was hilarious-!"

"Um," Nika raised her hand to break in, and the rest of the group turned to listen. "Should we stay here for a while, or do you want to go see the city? I'd been hoping to explore Meltokio some with you."

"Oh yeah, that's right! It's my first time here, so I wanna see all of Meltokio!" Bianca jumped off the couch and tugged at Genis' arm. "C'mon, c'mon!"

"I'm coming, don't worry." Genis couldn't stay irritated when in the presence of her pure excitement.

As promised, Professor Low's butler showed the four of them back out, thanking them for their patience with his mistress. It sounded rehearsed, as though he'd had to apologize for her behavior multiple times. Genis could believe it.

The four began walking up the sidewalk, glancing over at the square nearby where people were gathering. "Hey, Zelos, do you want to come with us looking around the city? We could use a native guide to show us all the best places."

"That's right," Nika added with a nod. "We'd love to have your company."

Bianca jumped up and down. "Please-oh-please, Mister Zelos!"

"You guys are sweet," Zelos replied, "but I have some important things I need to take care of this evening. We'll hang out some other time, okay-?"

His voice caught on the last word as he seemed to spot something in the crowd and suddenly broke into a run.

"Catch you guys later!"

"W-wait, Zelos-" Genis scanned the crowd for the target of Zelos' attention, noticing a familiar face just as Zelos called out.

"KRATOS! HEY, KRATOS!"

Genis held a hand out to Nika and Bianca, murmuring a quick "stay here, I'll be right back" before dashing off after Zelos. He had a feeling this could be nothing good, and once he reached them, he found the same look of annoyance on Kratos' face.

"-but I can't help you. I don't have any idea what Yuan does in his free time."

"What do you mean, you don't have any idea? You've known him for four-thousand years! Surely you must have some idea where he was today if he wasn't at the shop-"

Anna broke in, trying to play her usual role as mediator, "Zelos, sweetie, Yuan's very finicky about these sort of things. He prefers not to share, so Kratos tries not to pry. That's the kind of respect that keeps a friendship alive for so long."

Kratos made a sound that was somewhere between a scoff and an indignant snort, but Anna elbowed him and he looked away.

"What do you want with Yuan anyway?" Kratos asked with a sigh. "Last time I checked, you two weren't exactly buddies."

"Right, we're not. I'd rather avoid him, but he..." Zelos groaned as he spoke, running a hand through his hair. "...he has Ador- I mean, he has that kid Colette's been babysitting."

"...he _what_?"

Genis watched as Kratos' expression turned into one of disbelief. The look Anna was giving him was one of concern, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. Kratos was hard to read when he was quiet, but when he opened his mouth, he let his emotions show through

"...I was afraid this would happen..."

"What do you mean?" Zelos demanded. "What's he up to? If he hurts that defenseless little baby, I swear, I'll make him regret the day he was born-"

"Zelos, stop." Kratos reached out and grabbed Zelos' arm to keep him from flailing it mindlessly amidst the crowd. "That's not it at all. Anna and I will pay Yuan a visit tonight and find out exactly what's going on. Tell Colette not to worry."

"Not to worry?! How can you say that?" Zelos yanked his arm away. "Your buddy Yuan straight-up kidnapped a baby, and you're trying to cover for him? I'll go find him myself!"

"No, that's not it-"

"It was stupid of me to ask you for help. I'll take care of this on my own-"

Zelos began walking away as he ranted, but Kratos grabbed the hood of his coat.

"Don't. This is something personal between Yuan and me."

A moment of silence followed. Zelos turned slowly to look back at Kratos, his expression clouding in confusion. "...something personal? What the hell does that mean?" He looked like he was about to say something else, but he stopped, gave it a little thought, and then continued with an air of disbelief. "Wait a minute... a lost, ancient arte that hasn't been practiced since the Kharlan War... it was you guys... it was _you guys_!"

Kratos grabbed Zelos' by the shoulder and jerked him close. "Let. Me. Handle. This."

"But you're the ones who-"

"I don't entirely know what's going on. But as soon as I find out, I'll make sure you and Colette know. Trust me."

"Trust?" Zelos scowled. "Coming from you?"

"I don't believe you have any room to talk in that regard."

Zelos didn't give that a response. He sighed and turned away.

"Fine. Do what you want. Just... promise me you won't let any harm come to that precious little girl."

"Yes. I can promise that."

Looking dissatisfied but resigned, Zelos turned away and began walking back up the sidewalk to where Nika and Bianca were waiting. Genis stayed ahead of him, keeping an eye on the crowd. Kratos and Anna were disappearing in the direction of the square, Anna pestering Kratos with what looked like a barrage of questions. Genis didn't envy either of them, but in this case he was actually more sympathetic to Zelos' cause.

"Hey, uh, Zelos?" He stoped and waited for Zelos to catch up. "I'm... sorry about what happened. Even if it was something personal, Kratos shouldn't have brushed you off like that, since it sounds like you really care about Adora."

Genis expected a rebuttal, and perhaps even a denial, but instead he found himself in an affectionate headlock.

"You're really being nice to me today, aren't you? Must be the girlfriend!"

"Th-that's not-"

"How about this? The tyke seems to like me; I'll take her on a private, guided tour of Meltokio so you and your girl can have some alone time."

Zelos winked at him and Genis felt his face turning red. "Y-y-you don't have to do that-"

"No need to thank me!" Zelos replied with a flourish. "But if you wanna repay me, be back at the mansion by nine o'clock. Lloyd will be there, and we can go out to my favorite little dive, just the three of us."

"You want to take Lloyd and me out drinking?!"

"Not drinking, per se. I just want one or two to take the edge off, you know?" Zelos shrugged and averted his gaze. "It's... been one hell of a day."

Genis didn't know what had happened before he and Raine had arrived, but the exhaustion in Zelos' voice was unfamiliar to him. He wasn't lying.

"Alright, fine. But you're buying."


	19. Chapter 19

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 72:  
** _Beiridh caora dhubh uan geal.  
_ A black ewe may have a white lamb.

 **19-**

It was after dark by the time Kratos and Anna made it over to Western Boulevard. Anna initially showed some signs of feeling ill, but by the time they arrived, she had shrugged it off and insisted to Kratos that she was fine. The shop was closed up, but Kratos walked around back to find that the light in the workshop was on. He rapped on the door a couple of times as a warning before letting himself in, Anna following him and mumbling something about walking in uninvited. But her criticism wasn't necessary- the reaction they got was a warm welcome.

"Ohmigosh, Kratos? Anna? What an unexpected surprise- come in, come in!" Song jumped up from his perch, leaving the wheel and the clay on it spinning. Yuan said you were gonna be in town, but I didn't think you'd drop by! Let me get you some tea, maybe some cookies. How are you-?"

Song approached them with his arms outstretched as though anticipating a hug, but Kratos held a hand up and he suddenly realized why.

"O-oops. I've got clay all over my hands, don't I?" Song retracted his embrace, laughing as he moved across the room to find a rag. "It wouldn't be nice of me to sully those pretty militia uniforms, now would it?"

"Sorry about that," Anna answered with a smile. "We don't mean to intrude on your work time."

"Anna, darling, you're never a bother! Why, this is a special treat! Let me tidy things up here and then we'll head up to the kitchen to catch up-"

"We're not here for small talk," Kratos interrupted, stepping in front of Anna. "Where are Yuan and Adora?"

"Oh, them? Yeah, I guess I should've figured you weren't here to visit me." Now that his hands were clean, Song scratched the back of his head, responding with a nervous laugh. "They're upstairs in his bedroom. Yuan was reading her a bedtime story or something, and- bam!- they were both out like a light! He hasn't been getting much sleep these past few days, so I'm not surprised. Not that he actually needs to sleep, but-"

Kratos cut him off again. "Where were you today? The shop was closed and your place was empty."

"Aw, you came by to visit earlier? You should've told us in advance! Yuan decided he wanted to take the day off and visit the Great Tree with Adora, so I was like 'let's make a trip out of it!' I packed a picnic lunch and everything! 'Course, getting in and out of Meltokio was a longer process than we'd thought. Security is pretty high now, and being a half-elf doesn't exactly help… S-still, the weather was nice, and the tree was pretty. It's nice seeing something in full leaf at this time of year. Adora looked like she had fun. Yuan was right; visiting was a good idea."

"I see," Kratos broke in before Song's monologue could continue much further. He glanced away, continuing in a lower voice. "Yuan wanted to take her to visit her mother."

There was a moment of silence. Song sighed, a slow, resigned sigh as though he was having to drop any pretenses he might've been holding up. He held out a hand with a forced smile.

"Come upstairs with me, will you? I'll make us some tea and we can talk."

"Thank you. That would be lovely." Anna nodded, accepting his hand and starting up the stairs after him.

Kratos said nothing. He simply followed.

* * *

Lloyd was initially skeptical about the idea of a night out with Zelos and Genis, really wishing he could stay in and practice with his new sword. But when Zelos mentioned that his favorite dive imported real Dwarven whiskey, _well._ Lloyd was hooked before he even finished the sentence.

The three of them set out, with Zelos leading the way through the colorfully-lit streets, chatting away with his usual fervor. Unfortunately, he and Genis had already established some sort of conversation that was over Lloyd's head, and he could barely keep up.

"It just seems too good to be true," Genis was saying, of something Lloyd couldn't quite identify, given its fancy scientific name. "A Kharlan-War era lost arte? Even if we're talking about angels who've been alive since that time, I can't imagine why they'd use that arte, especially on a child."

"I know, but I can't figure out how else she'd have survived. This is the only thing that makes sense."

"Kratos didn't seem to acknowledge it. He said he didn't know what was going on-"

"Yeah, but you know how Kratos is."

"I do, but his propensity for keeping secrets isn't exactly something to stake a scientific investigation on… especially when Raine and Professor Low were so excited about it."

Lloyd stepped in between them before Zelos could reply again. "If it helps at all- and maybe it doesn't, because I have no idea what you guys are talking about- I've heard it's easier to disprove something than it is to prove something. 'Cause to prove something, it has to work _every_ time, but to disprove it, it only has to fail _once_. ...right?"

Zelos laughed and draped an arm around Lloyd's shoulder. "Lloyd, I wasn't aware you were a man of science. I've underestimated you all this time."

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that," Genis muttered. "Plus, in this situation it's just as easy to prove or disprove because we know next to nothing. Maybe if Zelos could remember more about the spell, then we'd have a better basis to go on-"

They had reached the bar by this point, and Zelos took a step forward to hold the door open for his friends. He protested as he did so, speaking pointedly at Genis as he passed.

"I _can_ remember more about the spell! It'll just take me a minute, since it was so long ago. Let's see…" Zelos let the door close behind him as he entered and led the others to a table. "The spell required an immense amount of magical energy-"

"That's a given, I'd assume."

"-but it had to be channeled by only one person because there could only be one certain type of mana supporting the spell. Otherwise it'd be impossible to focus the way it needed to be."

"One type of mana?" Lloyd asked, leaning closer to Zelos. "Are you talking about, like, alpha-beta stuff?"

"No. I'm talking about individual mana signatures. Like, everyone has a slightly different type of mana, and-" Zelos began gesturing as he explained, but he stopped himself abruptly. "...wait…"

"Zelos? What is it?" Genis asked. He had taken a set of drink menus from the bar and was handing them out, but he couldn't miss the look on Zelos' face. "Did you remember something important?"

Zelos didn't answer him directly. Instead, he took a menu and hid his face in it, letting out a string of curse words. Lloyd flinched and tried to lighten the suddenly sour mood. "H-hey, now, you haven't had anything to drink yet. Don't get ahead of yourself-"

"I _knew_ something about it was too obvious to be true. The mana signature isn't just the focal point of the spell, it's also the key. Once the spell is put into place, only activation by the same mana signature can disrupt the stasis."

"Meaning…?"

"I get it," Genis gasped. "Only the person who _cast_ the spell can break it!"

"No wonder Kratos looked at me like I was stupid! I was yelling nonsense at him!" Zelos set the menu down on the table, pressing his forehead against the tabletop as well. "And I got the Professors all hot and bothered over it too. I just can't do anything right today."

"Th-that's not such a problem," Genis began. "Raine and Professor Low's studies will probably lead to some important findings, even if there isn't someone alive who can still cast the spell."

"And if it makes you feel better," Lloyd offered with a nod, "I still don't have the slightest idea what we're talking about."

Zelos picked himself up from the table with a burst of energy he hadn't had before. "The box, Lloyd! The damned box that some weirdo thought it would be a good idea to put a _baby_ in! And now sweet little Adora is stuck with _Yuan_ of all people, and Kratos is going to mess everything up, and it's all my fault…" He sunk down in his chair again with a sigh before finally raising his hand and addressing the rest of the bar. "Hey, is somebody going to come take our drink order already?"

" _Sorry, Zelos!_ _It looked like you and your friends were talking; we didn't want to interrupt_ …"

"Nah, you're good." Zelos waved a hand over one side of the menu. "These are your shot specials for today, right? We'll take one of each for the table."

Genis stiffened. "I'm not drinking any of those!"

"Your loss, then," Zelos answered with a shrug. "Get the kid an orange juice too, would you?"

"Me next!" Lloyd raised his hand excitedly. "I want a glass of 16-year _Diurachs' Own_ single malt."

The bartender went to work on their order and Zelos leaned back, resting his head in his hands. "None of you guys are gonna do shots with me? Lame. Guess I'll have to drink 'em all myself-"

"Not all at once!" Genis interrupted.

"No, not all at once. How about this-" Zelos grinned and tossed a lock of hair over his shoulders. "-I'll tell you guys about my day, and every time I needed a drink, I'll take a shot."

Lloyd laughed. "Sounds good to me."

Considering the day Zelos seemed to have had, Genis wasn't so sure.

* * *

As soon as Kratos and Anna reached the kitchen, Song motioned for them to sit down and set some water to heat on the stove.

"Pick your poison; I've got vanilla rooibos, chamomile mint, lu'an melon seed, pu'er-"

"The mint sounds good to me," Anna replied. "Thank you."

"Of course! A perfect choice for an evening brew. You two can relax and I'll get the water boiling."

Relaxing wasn't high on Kratos' list of priorities, but he sat down anyway. Anna stood by another chair, but didn't sit down. She was shifting her weight and glancing around with an uneasy expression. It was one Kratos recognized all too well.

"Anna? Do you need some fresh air? We can open a window or something."

"N-no." Anna shook her head. "It's fine. I'm-" She stopped and put a hand over her mouth. "Song? I'm not… feeling well. Can you point me to the washroom?"

"Of course! It's at the end of the hall, just past Yuan's room." Song left the stove so that he could put his arm around Anna, guiding her toward the hallway. "Do you need anything? I can get you so-"

"No, I'm fine. You stay and talk to Kratos."

The silence she left behind was uncomfortable, and Kratos glanced away, not pleased to have been left alone with Song. "Sorry about her," he mumbled. "It's flu season. You know how that is."

"Influenza, huh?"

"Yeah. What can you do?"

Song offered no reply, simply turning back to the stove. Once he was sure that the topic had been dropped and they could start the conversation anew, Kratos spoke up again.

"Nor'este?"

"Hmm?"

"When Adora was born- it was during the siege of Nor'este, wasn't it?" He paused with a sigh. "I thought it was impossible for Yuan and Martel to have a child, because Mithos and I were always with them after their betrothal. But… no. There was a period of eight months when we were separated by an unexpected siege. Slim as it might've been, they had the time."

Song fidgeted with his hands as he spoke. "They weren't _trying_ to keep it a secret. Martel wrote to you every day. But-"

"The letters were burned. I know. And by the time we returned… well... " Kratos was, by this point, resting his head in one hand, his finger massaging his right temple. "But one thing I don't get was why they didn't say anything _beforehand_. Martel must have known before we left Fort Fisher. Why wouldn't they have said something- if not to me, then to Mithos?"

"I wasn't there, so I can't say for sure," Song began, averting his gaze, "but Yuan said that Mithos was very nervous about the training camp. Do you remember that?"

Kratos thought it over silently. "...I do. Martel was his only family, and he had never been away from her longer than a few days. Even the idea of three weeks, not knowing what it would become, he was nervous."

"But Martel knew that the training was important to Mithos. Do you think she would've said anything that would change his mind about going?" Song seemed to have exhausted his patience and stood up from the chair, pacing back and forth in front of the stove as he kept an eye on the kettle. "The only things I know about Martel are what Yuan has told me. But even so, I know she loved Mithos more than anything. She wanted to do what was best for him, not to coddle him. That's what she counted on you for… and why she didn't want to go with you to Nor'este."

The kettle began to whistle, and Song turned his attention to the stove and pouring tea. Kratos allowed him to do this, turning over the information in his mind. Song placed a mug of tea in front of him and Kratos grabbed the handle with a reply.

"Yuan has told you a _lot_ , hasn't he?"

"I haven't been his friend for very long. It's the closest I can get to being… well, being his friend like _you_ are. You know more about Yuan than I can even dream about."

Kratos gave a laugh that was almost more of a snort. "You say that, and yet, when did he tell you about Adora? Long before he discovered the box empty, I'm presuming."

"Well, yeah, it did come up, but…" Song glanced away. "It was a sore spot. He and Martel had all those plans of rescuing Adora once the war was over and they'd found a cure that would save her life, but… when Martel died, any chance to save Adora died with her."

"Not necessarily."

Song was pouring his own mug of tea, but his gaze shot up to look at Kratos again and he tilted the kettle back upright. "You mean…?"

"Yuan kept a close eye on all the Chosens. He _had_ to know early on that Colette was able to break Martel's spell."

"And risk a crazed Mithos getting his hands on Adora? The poor kid was so far gone by that point, there's no telling what he would've done if he'd found out-"

"And _after_ the fall of Cruxis? After the reuniting of the worlds? He reburied the box by the new World Tree instead of asking Colette to break the spell. Why?"

Song set the kettle back on the stove. "I can't tell you exactly why. Maybe he was afraid for Adora's sake. Maybe he didn't want to bring her into a world where she wouldn't know anyone or anything… a world where her mother was _gone_. Maybe he didn't fancy the challenges of raising her as a single father."

Kratos frowned. "But he's not."

The statement caught Song off-guard. "Not what?"

"Single, for one."

Song forced a laugh. "Yeah, right. But it's not like a _tree_ can pay child support or change diapers or any of that sort of thing."

"I wasn't talking about the Great Tree. I was talking about you."

At the sound of that, Song's attention immediately left the kettle and fell on Kratos. He accidentally let his hand drift from its spot on the handle and brush against the side, eliciting a yelp of pain. Song began spluttering a response as he ran to the sink and began pouring water over his burnt finger.

"I don't know what you're thinking, but it's not like that at all! Yuan and I, er, we're not… I mean… we're _pals_ , y'know? Not that I wouldn't help him as much as I could with Adora, but it's not the same thing as having Martel around. _I'm_ not Martel."

Kratos examined his movement before finally sighing and closing his eyes. "I take that to mean you haven't been honest with him about your feelings?"

"M-my feelings?" Song shut off the water and twirled around on his heels. "What the hell do my feelings have to do with anything?"

"If you're trying to hide the fact that you're in love with Yuan, you're not doing a very good job of it."

Song approached the table again, placing his hands on the tabletop in front of Kratos. "I can't help how I feel, but that doesn't mean I've gotta burden Yuan with that mess. He's my _friend_."

Kratos raised an eyebrow. " _Burden_ him? Are you serious?"

"Yuan's a married man, Kratos. I'm no homewrecker."

A series of puzzled expressions passed over Kratos' face, each with a slightly different shade of exasperation. "You… you do know that Martel is _dead_ , right? She has been for four-thousand years."

"That doesn't matter."

" _You wanna try telling that to everyone Cruxis has wronged in the last few millennia?!_ "

Song was silent. He crossed to the other side of the room and leaned against the door, his mouth drawn up into a pout. Seeing that he wasn't planning to respond, Kratos began again.

"I'll be frank with you, Song- I don't like you. But Yuan _does_. For his sake and for yours, you can't keep living in the past. You have to be honest."

Song let out a laugh. "Honest? That's a funny thing to hear coming from you."

Kratos frowned. "I know I'm not a beacon of virtue in that regard, but-"

Before he could finish the sentence, Song had taken a seat on the table itself, leaning toward Kratos. "You said poor Anna was suffering from the flu, right?"

"I- _yes_." Kratos had a bad feeling about the direction this conversation was going, but he stuck with it. "Don't bring her into this."

"I'm not. I just think it's strange you're acting so casual about it-" Song shrugged, but he kept his gaze locked on Kratos. "-considering the risk for life-threatening complications from influenza is much higher for pregnant women."

The two men took a moment to stare each other down. Kratos didn't speak at first, trying to figure out if Song was bluffing or not. _No_ , he wasn't the type to bluff, especially with something that serious.

"Alright, I get it." Kratos sighed, turning away. "It's not prudent to lie to a medical professional. But is it so obvious or are you just that good?"

"I wouldn't say it's obvious… yet." Song replied. "Why are you concerned? Is it _me_ specifically, or are you trying to keep this a secret from everybody?"

"It's safer if we don't go around telling people," Kratos answered through clenched teeth.

"Uh, no, actually it's statistically _safer_ for people to know, that way Anna isn't accidentally exposed to anything potentially harmful. There's a lot of foods, herbs, even _spices_ that she really ought to be avoiding. Do you actually think about things like that, or are you obsessed with keeping an air of secrecy about you-?"

"Anna knows what to avoid in taking care of herself!" Kratos interrupted Song's statement, having to physically hold himself back. "I'm more worried about her safety when it comes to others. She could very easily be the target of violence, whether for her previous connections to Cruxis, for her connections to me, or even her connections to Lloyd. There are people around who're determined to stir up trouble, and I don't want Anna to be exposed to that when she's so _vulnerable-_ "

His sentence cut off as a sound from the hallway echoed into the kitchen. It was a high pitched yelp followed by a dull thud, and Kratos flinched as he recognised the voice.

"Anna-"

"Hang on," Song spoke, stepping in front of Kratos and opening the door. Within less than a minute, Anna appeared in the kitchen, dragging the unconscious form of a man over her shoulder. Kratos recognised the man immediately, mostly from the wanted posters he'd seen, and cringed as he realised Anna must have as well.

"You'll never guess who was breaking-and-entering! This guy's been wanted for weeks. Though I… think I might've accidentally broken his nose when I punched him. It's bleeding everywhere; what should I do? Song?"

Song's face had turned white and all he could splutter at first was " _m-my patient!_ "

"Huh?"

"Anna," Kratos began, taking the man's weight off her shoulder, "he wasn't breaking and entering. He's staying here while Song tends to his wounds. Song considers it an act of, uh, _charity_ to care for someone who couldn't go to a hospital like normal. I should've told you, but I figured that- for Yuan and Song's sakes- the fewer people knew, the better."

"Oh…" Anna's eyes drifted from Kratos to Song, over to the unconscious fugitive in Kratos' arms, and then back to Song. "... _oh._ Oops."

"Oops does not even begin to cover it," Song growled, stepping in front of Anna and taking his patient from Kratos. "As a doctor, I'd kindly like you to refrain from making my job more difficult! _Vulnerable, my ass!_ "

"I-I'm sorry, Song! I didn't know!"

Kratos groaned and took a step toward the hallway. "Anna, help him out here with the first aid. I'm going to go speak with Yuan- I'm sure that whole fiasco woke him up and I doubt he's too pleased."

"Try not to be too harsh," Song requested as he watched Kratos leave the kitchen. "He won't say it, but he's really hurting. Be nice to him, okay?"

Kratos' voice carried back down the hall as he walked _._

" _I can't make any promises."_


	20. Chapter 20

I didn't end up updating regularly over NaNoWriMo, but here I am again, ready to continue the story. As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow #125:**  
 _Uisge Beatha dòcha nach eil leigheas air an tinneas, ach eil e tuilleadh gu dòigheil na rudan eile._  
Whisky may not cure a cold, but it fails more agreeably than other things.

20-

"And THEN, oh, _THEN-_ " Zelos tossed back another shot before continuing on his tirade. "-this _bastard_ has the guts to say to me- to ME- _do you feel better about yourself, Mister Chosen_? And I'm THIS close to snapping right then and there, but NO. No, I kept my cool, and was like, hell, I've NEVER felt good about myself in my DAMN LIFE-"

His speech slurred as he reached for another shot glass, but Genis put a hand out and stopped him. "Zelos, I think you might want to take a break. Drink some water or eat something-"

"NAH, man. I'm _good_. It's allgoodman. _Allgood_."

Zelos pushed Genis' arm away, accidentally swatting a couple of empty shot glasses off the side of the table. He fumbled to pick them up, but Genis got them before he could manage, and set them on the opposite side of the table so that Zelos couldn't knock them off again. Lloyd was watching with morbid amusement, trying to hide his fascination with the scene behind his half-emptied glass of whiskey and nearly empty plate of head cheese.

"Hey, uh, Zelos?" Lloyd began, seeing the struggle that was taking place across from him, "I'm really sorry about what happened with your cousins, but maybe you should stop with the storytelling for now. How about we have Genis tell us about his day?"

Genis was going to intervene, but to his surprise, Zelos was supportive of the idea.

"YEAH! A _great_ idea, Lloydmybuddy. I wanna hear the _GOOD_ stuff." Zelos clapped his hands and then slapped Genis on the back with a force that nearly knocked him over. "How'd your DATE with the PRETTY LADY go today? Did you _score_? I'll bet you TOTALLY scored."

"She has a name!" Genis defended, his cheeks turning red. "But, yes, we talked a lot, had some ice cream, visited the history museum before it closed… and Nika said she'd love to do it again sometime soon. So you could say I _scored_ a future date."

Zelos burst out laughing, his voice practically bouncing off the walls of the little bar. Genis covered his ears and Lloyd tossed a few apologetic glances toward the other patrons.

" _You guys_ are so CUTE, y'know that?" Zelos fell against Genis' shoulder and tousled his hair. "Scored a _date_. HAH!" He continued to laugh softly as he pulled himself away again, this time sitting up on his knees and leaning over the tabletop. "You know what I've _decided?_ I've DECIDED. I've decided I'm FINALLY gonna teach you two how to get _laid._ "

Genis' face turned white and Lloyd nearly choked on his last bite of food.

"...no, you're not going to do that," Genis replied firmly, pressing a hand to the top of Zelos' head with a push back toward his seat. "That sounds like an all-around bad idea-"

"No no no no, _no._ Hear me out, would'ya?" Zelos waved his hands. "You'n Lloyd, you're good kids. My best buds. Family even. That's- _hic-_ why I want you to know the joy of pleasing a woman."

Genis looked to be exerting a massive amount of patience, and Lloyd tried to hide a fit of laughter behind one of the menus.

"Why don't you go back to telling us about your cousins instead-" Genis began, but Zelos had no intention of backtracking. He was sitting up on his knees by this point, leaning across the table to get in on the conversation.

"Genis, BUDDY, how old is your lady friend? She looks like she's been around the block a couple times before."

Genis stiffened. "She's only twenty- and what do you mean by _been around the block_? Don't bring Nika into this!"

"Oh, c'mon- _hic_ \- she's totally into you. I saw'her face earlier, and _lemme tell ya_ , that's the face of a woman who knows what she wants."

"What she wants is none of your business!"

Lloyd, in his amusement, was trying to keep out of the conversation as best he could. But he couldn't help staring at Zelos, and suddenly Zelos' eyes met his.

" _Oh, Lloyd!_ Speaking of women who know what they want-"

"Is this really necessary?"

The question fell on deaf ears as Zelos scooted his chair over next to Lloyd's. "I gotta tell ya, in all the _years_ I've known Sheena, I've NEVER seen her with the hots for anybody quite like she's got for you. With the advice I'm gonna give ya, you'll have her _begging_ to get in your bed!"

Lloyd tried to push Zelos away from his face. "You really don't have to do that."

"I KNOW. That's what makes me so _nice_."

"No, I mean, that's really not necessary-"

Genis grabbed the back of Zelos' shirt. "All you'd be doing is making problems for a well-established relationship. Lloyd and Sheena are taking things at their own pace. Isn't that what you're doing with Colette?"

Zelos gave a dismissive wave in Genis' direction. "That's _different_."

"How so?"

"It just _is_. Colette is- _hic_ \- not afraid to tell me what she wants. When she wants it, she'll say somethin'. Offering before then is pointless."

"Can't you accept that other couples have that kind of open honesty too?"

Zelos laughed and nudged Genis' shoulder. "C'mon, man, have you MET Sheena and Lloyd? They're the most awkward, CLUELESS-"

"I'm _right here_ , you know!" Lloyd grinned plucked an ice cube out of Genis' juice and flicked it across the table at Zelos. "Sheena and I have already been through this; we don't need your drunken advice."

There was a pause, Zelos looking back and forth between Lloyd and the glass of juice. He finally plunged his hand into the glass, grabbing up the rest of the ice to toss across the table at Lloyd and eliciting a frustrated " _my juice!_ " from Genis. Lloyd put up his hands to shield his face, stifling another fit of laughter at the reaction.

"Hey, man! That's not fair!"

"You _started_ it, ya JERK!" Zelos responded with a half laugh himself. "If you two already got it on, you should'a _told me_!"

Lloyd grinned, gulped down the last sip of his own drink, and slid the glass across the table back at Zelos. "Maybe we have and maybe we haven't. I don't think that's any of your business."

"I _see_ that smug look on your face! You really ARE holding out on me with the good news, ya _bastard_!" Zelos started grabbing up the empty shot glasses and Genis gasped as he realized what was going on.

"Don't you dare start throwing those!" Genis grabbed hold of Zelos' arms from behind. "If you're going to get violent, we need to leave."

"Genis is right," Lloyd said, standing up out of his chair and motioning to the door. "I can feel the whisky getting to me too. Why don't we pay our tab and head back?"

"Fine w'me," Zelos began as he pulled himself to his feet, stumbled, and then righted himself again. "But I wanna hear ALL the juicy deets on the way home."

"All the- _what_?"

"The DETAILS, Lloyd, the _details_!" Zelos slung his arm over Lloyd's shoulder, and while Lloyd thought it was an overly-friendly gesture at first, he realised almost immediately that Zelos was just trying to hide the fact that he couldn't walk on his own. "I want to know _everything_ you did, EXPLICIT detail, chronological order. I'll be grading and giving constructive criticism, so be _sure_ not to leave ANYTHING out."

Genis started yelling at Zelos, trying to get him to drop the subject, while Lloyd subconsciously buttoned his overcoat all the way to the top.

 _Maybe Kratos was right about keeping this sort of thing away from Zelos after all…_

After the three had paid the tab, they exited the building to find that it had begun raining- and it didn't look like it was going to let up anytime soon. Genis suggested they wait under the eaves of the building for a break, but Zelos was already dragging Lloyd out into the storm, and Genis had no choice but to follow.

It was going to be a long walk back.

* * *

Kratos pushed the door to Yuan's room open ever so gently, not wanting to startle him. To his surprise, he found Yuan still asleep, a colorful children's book splayed across his chest as though he'd fallen asleep in the middle of reading. Adora was sound asleep as well, curled up next to the pillow, practically nestled in the crook of her father's shoulder.

With as little force as he could muster, Kratos pulled the book out of Yuan's hands and sat down on the foot of the bed to examine it. " _Ten Minutes Till Bedtime_ …" he read from the cover and stifled a laugh. "Looks like they didn't make it that long."

As he flipped through the pages, Kratos heard a low groan from Yuan. He seemed to notice the weight at the end of the bed, but he pulled the blanket over his shoulder and turned so that he was facing Adora. "Song, it's late. Turn out the light, would you?"

Kratos replied without even trying to correct him on the mistake. "No. Can't you see I'm reading?"

Yuan shot to a seated position, scooping up Adora in one arm and nearly tossing the blanket off the side of the bed. "Wh-what are _you_ doing here? Give me that book!"

Kratos gave up the book with no struggle as Yuan snatched it back, but he frowned. "Aw, I'd only made it halfway through. I was enthralled by the riveting plotline."

" _What_ riveting plotline? It's a picture book- there's hardly any words."

"Pictures are worth a thousand words."

" _Get out of my room._ "

Yuan set the book on the side table and rocked Adora against his chest, hearing her begin to stir as well. Kratos watched the scene for a few moments before ignoring Yuan's instructions and speaking up again.

"I just wanted to talk a little-"

"I don't want to talk to you."

"That's not surprising. But I want to ask you at least one question before I go."

"What is it?" Yuan mumbled.

"I want to know… what it was about me that you couldn't trust. All these years, why couldn't you have told me?"

Yuan was silent at first. Even when he did answer- with a question, no less- he kept his eyes focused on Adora instead of Kratos. "Did Song tell you?"

"Only because I pieced enough together to know what questions to ask him." Kratos leaned forward, trying to catch Yuan's attention. "Back then, up until now… why didn't you say anything? I understand keeping it from Mithos, but from me?"

"You say that like you weren't always 'Lord Yggdrasill's' obedient little dog. Even Noishe didn't follow his orders as closely as you did. Why would I tell you anything?"

It was Kratos' turn to avoid eye contact. "But before all this? Before Martel died? I know it must have been hard for you. Why didn't you come to us-?"

"Because we didn't want your _pity_!" Yuan shot back. He froze, realizing that the volume of his reply had unnerved Adora, and continued with a quieter tone. "Do you really know what it was like to get a diagnosis like that back then? The doctor gave us two choices. _One_ , we could do our best to make Adora comfortable and watch as she died a slow and painful death, or _two_ , we could…" His voice hitched in a way that Kratos was unfamiliar with. "... _not_ let her suffer."

Kratos nodded gravely. "And yet you found a third option."

"It wasn't a third option, it was just _putting off_ making a decision. I think Martel genuinely believed we would find a cure someday after the war was over, but… even at that time, there wasn't an end in sight. She nearly killed herself just trying to give us more time to say goodbye."

"I was wondering how Martel managed the spell only five weeks after Adora was born," Kratos replied. "It must have been hard on her."

" _Hard_?" Yuan scoffed. "It took all of her remaining mana! If I hadn't given her some of mine, she would've died. You know how that is, remember?"

"Huh." Kratos tried to add an air of disappointment to his sigh. "And here I thought I was special."

"Oh, shut up!"

"But you know-" Kratos ignored the admonition and continued. "-I wouldn't have pitied you."

"You _would_ have!" Yuan shot back. "You had no idea how I felt!"

"I can't argue with that," Kratos replied. "For a long time I didn't. It's a pain you have to experience to truly understand."

There was a silence between them. Yuan looked around uneasily, trying to preoccupy himself with Adora. She had fallen asleep in his arms, however, so there wasn't much he could do without risking waking her. He had no choice but to continue the conversation.

"...I almost told you. After what happened with Anna, when you thought you'd lost Lloyd, I was going to say something. But you-" Yuan closed his eyes, unwilling to look at Kratos. "-you went back to _Mithos_. And I couldn't let him know at that time. We already knew how closely little Colette's mana signature resembled Martel's; if Mithos had found out about Adora then, when he had the ability to get his hands on her, there's no telling what he would've done."

"I suppose I don't blame you for that," Kratos murmured. "I was in a difficult place at that time, so I might have become angry or not believed you. You did the right thing. But…"

This time Yuan managed to look up at Kratos again. "You're going to ask why I didn't have Colette break the spell after the worlds were reunited, aren't you?"

"You know me well."

"It was because…" Yuan's voice caught in his throat again. "...I thought, as long as the box was near the tree, Adora and Martel would be together. I put Martel's name on it before I reburied it as a memorial for the two of them. It was better for Adora to be there with her mother than it was for her to be here with someone like me."

"You really believed that, huh?"

"What do you mean? It's _true_ -"

Kratos gave Yuan a sharp hit on the forehead with the back of his hand. "You say that when there are so many people in this world ready to love her and take care of her? Are you blind?"

"Wha-"

"Colette and Zelos are worried _sick_! They've been giving their all to caring for her these past few days, and when you just took her, it terrified them. Didn't you think about that? And no matter how you feel about me, I loved Martel too and I'd do anything to help her daughter. Anna, Lloyd, and I would be here for you no matter what. And even without her mother, a loving father and step-father would make Adora luckier than a lot of children out there."

" _S-step_ \- what?" Yuan stammered, cutting off in shock. "What are you _talking_ about?!"

"I'm talking about _Song_ , idiot. You're not subtle with your affections. You weren't with Martel and you aren't now."

"Th-th-" Yuan's face had turned bright red, a sight that Kratos hadn't seen since Martel was alive. "That's none of your concern! I've already told you, there's no way that's going to happen!"

"And why not? It's not that complicated." Kratos shook his head. "If you both feel the same way, then-"

"Don't assume my feelings for me! Besides, it wouldn't be fair to Song."

"What wouldn't be fair?"

Yuan looked down at Adora. "No matter how I feel about anyone else, I'm still in love with Martel. So _madly_ in love with Martel. And until that changes, promising myself to anyone is impossible."

"You really think so?" Kratos asked. "Because you'll _always_ be in love with Martel. If you wait for those feelings to go away before you're willing to love anyone else, you'll be alone forever. Song knows you'll always love Martel. He just needs to know there's room in your heart for him too."

Yuan grabbed the book from the nightstand again and swatted Kratos on the head with it. "That's a load of sentimental garbage. You've been spending _way_ too much time around Anna and Lloyd, you know that?"

"Maybe so, but that's because I love them. What's your excuse for hanging around Song all the time?"

Yuan didn't look back at him. He kept staring at Adora.

"How long ago did I ask you to _get out of my room_?"

Kratos sighed and stood up. "All joking aside, Colette and Zelos are still worried. They need to know Adora is safe. Why don't you-"

" _Fine_." Yuan pulled himself to his feet too, holding Adora out toward Kratos with a reluctant frown on his face. It was clear he had to force both the gesture and the statement that followed. "Y-you can take her back. Just make sure it's Colette that's taking care of her and not that stupid Zelos-"

Kratos held up a hand. "No. I'm not taking her from you."

Kratos watched as Yuan immediately pulled Adora back to his chest. The look Yuan gave him was relieved, but still puzzled.

"Huh?"

"You need to apologize to Colette and Zelos yourself." Kratos turned to leave the room. "I'll tell them that Adora is safe and with her father. Nothing more than that. You can explain everything to them tomorrow."

"You can't be serious-"

"It's already quite late. Tomorrow will be here before you know it- you might want to think about what you're going to say to them."

" _KRATOS!_ "


	21. Chapter 21

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow #77:**  
 _Cha dean cridh misgeach breug._  
The drunken heart will not lie.

21-

Zelos' position leaning on Lloyd's shoulder, gave him the opportunity to poke and prod his friend as he continued with his questions.

"C'mon, _man_! Lighten up a little. You won't even tell me who topped?"

"What does that even mean? We were kinda sideways most of the time-"

" _Please_ ," Genis interrupted, covering his ears, "I'd rather this not be the entertainment while we wait for the rain to die down."

The three had cut through the park on the way back and stopped under one of the pavilions to take shelter. There were still some people running back and forth along the paths in search of cover, but most people had gone home and the pavilion offered some privacy. Even so, Genis and Lloyd were getting sick of Zelos' incessant prying.

"Wha's wrong, Genis?" Zelos sat down next to Genis on a bench, leaning most of his weight against him. "Ya don't gotta be jealous just 'cause Lloyd 'n me are-"

"Why would I be jealous? I'm just frustrated for Lloyd's sake. Quit harassing him, will you?"

Lloyd sat down on the other side of Zelos, nudging him to get his attention. "Why don't we talk about something else? Tomorrow night officially starts the celebrations. What are you looking forward to most about the festival?"

"I'd have to say the special Kharlan War exhibit that the history museum is unveiling tomorrow," Genis replied after giving it some thought. "I'm excited to see the artefacts from the Imperial Research Academy's current dig site. And you?"

"I'm excited for the picnic food!" Lloyd responded, a bright grin on his face. "I'm going to try something from every stall I pass, and then once I'm full I'll run around the park a few times to burn it off and keep going!"

"Ah, to have that kind of energy…" Genis rolled his eyes and then nudged Zelos. "What about you, Zelos? What are you excited about?"

Zelos shifted his head against Genis' shoulder. "Ya say that like I'm _excited_ about all this crap, ya lil' shit."

"Stop swearing." Genis put a hand against Zelos' cheek and pushed him away. "What do you have against the festival? I thought you loved big parties like this."

"Parties are _fun_ ," Zelos whined. "It's not fun t'give a stupid speech that'll ruin my stupid life. Why do I gotta ruin my own life now, man? Can't I just go back to other people ruining my life for me?"

"Ruin your life?" Lloyd leaned toward Zelos. "What do you mean? You're announcing your engagement to Colette, right?"

"It's not that. Not that." Zelos tried to wave one hand, but it didn't quite make it and he ended up just tossing his elbow limply instead. "I gotta… I gotta say that I'm the Chosen."

Genis could feel Zelos' weight against his side get slightly heavier. He recalled Colette's explanation of the situation from a few days earlier, recognizing the same sense of helplessness in Zelos' voice that had tinged Colette's. Concerned, he placed his hand on Zelos' wrist.

"...well, _aren't_ you?"

Lloyd's eyes widened at the sound of Genis' question, but he didn't intervene. The sound of the rain against the pavilion roof suddenly felt louder than ever.

After a few awkward moments of staring at Genis, Zelos finally seemed to decide that he was being serious after all and answered the question.

"... _no,_ I'm not! This damn world's been takin' it easy, depending on a Chosen for everything for four-thOUSAND GODDAMN YEARS." Zelos slammed his fist down on the bench seat, prompting Genis to move out of the way, "Ain't it about _time_ these people started t' choose for themSELVES?!"

Genis frowned and slid closer again. "I see what you're getting at, but that statement doesn't really make sense in the true usage of the word Chos-"

"Shut up, _four-eyes!_ This isn't about you!"

Baffled by the nickname, Genis touched the bridge of his nose just to be sure before he spoke. "...I don't wear glasses."

" _What_?"

"I don't wear glasses, Zelos. I've never worn glasses."

" _There_ you go again, making this all about YOU-"

Lloyd reached across the back of the bench to grab the shoulder of Genis' shirt. "I think he was just trying to call you a nerd," he suggested. "You know, since there's the stereotype of nerds wearing glasses and all."

Unconvinced but not wanting to insult Zelos, Genis whispered his response. "You're saying he's so drunk that he forgot the word ' _nerd_?"

"Well-"

Before Lloyd could come up with an answer, Zelos stood up and began to walk across the pavilion. Genis scrambled to his feet, worried that Zelos was going to leave them behind, but Lloyd stopped him as they saw Zelos pause at the pavilion's edge. The rain that was pounding on the roof slid off the sides and cascaded down in a curtain around the edge of the pavilion, and Zelos held one hand out under the stream of water, palm up as though he were trying to catch it. His fingers were spread though, and the water simply slid through the gaps.

"Zelos…?" Lloyd asked. "What are you doing?"

"I'm checking to see if it's still raining," Zelos answered, paused, and then turned to Lloyd with an added "it's still raining."

"Yeah, I see that. But, like, _why_?"

"There's something I've always wanted to try, but has to be rainin' hard for it to work, ya know? So I gotta make sure."

"I… see." Lloyd forced a smile. "It's not raining _that_ hard, though."

"It is right here."

"That's just the water falling off the edge of the roof-"

Before Lloyd could finish his explanation, Zelos stepped back so that he was directly under the cascade of water. He was already wet from walking in the rain earlier, so his hair was plastered to his sides and the running water just slid off in haphazard rivulets. There was a pause of only a moment when he seemed to be mentally preparing for something, and once he was ready, he opened his mouth and let out a deep, primal scream.

Genis covered his ears and Lloyd flinched, frantically scanning the park around them in fear that someone was going to be disturbed by the outburst. Lloyd ran to Zelos' side as his scream dissipated and grabbed him by the shoulder.

" _What_ are you doing? Are you trying to cause a panic?"

"Relax- there's nobody around." Zelos stumbled over to the table, dragging Lloyd with him. "I just always wanted to do that. The rain makes it all the more cathartic, ya know?"

"This is not one of your melodramatic novels!" Genis hissed.

"You sure? Kinda feels like it."

"That's not-"

Before the argument could go down another path, the three were cut off by the sound of someone yelling from across the path.

" _IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT? IS SOMEONE INJURED?"_

Genis swiveled around to address the woman and explain that there was no problem, but before he could make it to the edge of the pavilion to speak with her, she'd gotten close enough to recognize them.

"...Genis? Lloyd? _Zelos?_ "

It had been a long time since they'd seen each other, so Genis hadn't recognized her from afar. But as soon as she was close enough for him to properly hear her voice, he recognized it in an instant.

"Hazel!"

"What are the three of you doing out here on a night like this? Who was screaming?" Once Hazel made it under the pavilion roof, she closed her umbrella and lowered the hood of her coat. "Y-you're all soaking wet! You'll get sick in weather like this!"

Unsure of what question to respond to first, Lloyd held up his hands with a friendly smile. "Don't worry about us. We're on our way home; the rain kinda caught us by surprise, since it was so clear earlier today. And Zelos is fine, he was just having some fun."

"I was _not-_ " Zelos stumbled forward and fell against Lloyd's shoulder. "I was releasing pent up frustration in a constructive and nonviolent manner."

"You were screaming in a public park," Genis pointed out. "How is that constructive?"

"Nob'dy asked ya, y'little-"

Hazel stepped forward and cut him off mid-sentence. "Zelos… are you _drunk_?"

She seemed to be expecting a denial from him, considering how visibly off-put she was at his response.

"Drunk. Hammered. Smashed. Plastered. Intoxicated. Whatever y'wanna call it." He choked on his words a bit and paused before continuing "If I had to estimate my blood alcohol content, it'd probably be, like, ninety-percent."

"That's-" A look of exasperation passed over Hazel's face. "You would be dead."

"Hah! _If only._ "

Hazel's features softened as her expression changed into one of concern. "Z-Zelos, this isn't like you. I've never seen you like this. Did something happen…?" Her last question was asked more to Lloyd and Genis than to Zelos himself.

"It isn't that serious," Lloyd broke in, propping Zelos up on his shoulder to keep him from slouching over. "Zelos just had a bad day, is all-"

"I'll tell ya what happened," Zelos broke in. "My cousins happened. Yuan happened. Kratos happened. That idiot Lu or whatever-his-name-is happened."

Hazel frowned, a look of confusion passing over her face. "I'm sorry to hear that. That all sounds…" She paused to search for the word. "... _horrible_?"

"You wouldn't know. You haven't met half those people." Zelos turned his face away from her. "Where were _you_ all day today anyway?"

"I was working, Zelos. I'm on my way home from a twelve-hour shift at the hospital."

Zelos scoffed. "I see how it is. You were too busy with your _job_ to visit Seles, huh?"

"Yes."

Genis admired Hazel's composure, but he could tell that her calm demeanor was only making Zelos more frustrated. "Th-that's not an issue, though, is it? I sometimes get lonely because my sister's always working, but that doesn't mean she doesn't care about me-"

He wasn't able to finish his sentence, however, as Zelos pulled away from Lloyd and shoved him aside to get to Hazel. "Well, screw you too!"

"ZELOS!" Lloyd hissed. "Don't talk to her like that!"

"I know, I _know_. I shouldn't speak to a lady like that," Zelos waved his hand in Lloyd's direction. "But, hell, I'm doing all I can for Seles, and _she_ isn't doing shit! Some _girlfriend_ you are, ya-"

"I'm doing what I can in my own way," Hazel interrupted through clenched teeth. "You think I'm not lonely? But if being by Seles' side will only stress her out, of course I'll keep my distance."

Genis had to grab Zelos' arm to keep him from lunging at Hazel again. "Stress her out? She _misses_ you, stupid!"

Lloyd nudged Genis and motioned back out toward the path where Hazel had come. "Listen, I'm gonna borrow Hazel's umbrella and run over to the general store a couple blocks down to see if I can find us some raincoats."

"W-wait! Don't leave me to look after Zelos myself-"

Before Genis could protest, however, Lloyd was already on his way, and Hazel had begun talking again. With a sigh of resignation, Genis sat down on the opposite bench and listened to what she had to say.

"Miss Veronica, a fellow medical professional, has told me on more than one occasion that my presence is a significant stressor for Seles." For the first time, a hint of melancholy began to show through in Hazel's face. "If that's the case, spending too much time around her would be selfish of me."

Hazel's defensive stance made it look like she had more to say, but what she'd already said had been enough to stop Zelos. His shoulders relaxed and the scowl on his face turned up into more of a grimace.

"...of course. I should've realized, dammit. It's been Veronica the whole time- tryin' to keep Seles in some kinda sterile bubble. No wonder Seles is miserable."

"Seles is… _miserable_?"

Zelos sighed and sat down on the bench again. He placed his cheeks in his hands, shaking his head as he answered. "She has no energy- sometimes she can't even get out of bed in the mornings. Her muscles ache and she gets so tired that she can't concentrate on anything. It sometimes feels like… she has no motivation to do _anything_."

Hazel placed a hand over her mouth. "I-I didn't know it was that bad. I assumed she was depressed because of everything that happened and being cooped up during recovery, but… muscle aches?" She sat down next to Zelos, leaning closer. "Has Seles had any other physical symptoms not consistent with situational depression?"

"I can't give you a detailed medical report!" Zelos replied, throwing up his hands. "I'm _drunk!_ "

Genis groaned. "At least he admits it…"

Hazel sighed sadly. "I just don't want to cause her more stress. You can be there for her, can't you, Zelos? After what I did-"

"When will you stop blamin' yerself?" Zelos interrupted. "Seles needs you! She's so lonely, she's forcing me to make some stupid speech that I don't even wanna make!"

"Speech? What are you talking about?"

"The event on Sunday! I gotta make a speech, and if I don't say all the stuff Seles wants me t'say, she's just gonna keep getting worse. Stuff about bein' the Chosen, and my responsibility to the people."

"Zelos, that doesn't make sense." Hazel shook her head. "Seles just wants you to be happy."

"Then why does she get so much joy from my suffering, huh?"

"She doesn't! Has she said so?"

"N-no, but she…" Zelos crossed his arms and turned his back to Hazel. "…whenever I talk about being the Chosen, about my responsibilities and how important I am to the people of this world, how I gotta sacrifice my own desires to be a public figure to admire… _gods, just saying that makes me sick_ … Seles seems to improve. She has more energy and motivation. I don't get it, but if it makes her feel better-"

By that point in his sentence, Hazel was already on her feet again. "No! Seles would never draw her sense of wellbeing from your pain. She loves you, Master Zelos!"

"Then you tell me, little miss doctor-" Zelos followed suit so that he could use his height against her. "-how will you take responsibility if my refusing to make this speech causes Seles to get worse?!"

Hazel's expression softened. "Seles will be happy if you're happy. You should heed your own feelings on this."

For a long moment, Zelos was quiet. He stared Hazel down, eyeing her with suspicion, until finally he pointed at her resolutely.

"Fine! I'll think it over again! But _only_ if you-"

" _H-hey, guys! Sorry, the general store was closed, but here's your umbrella back, Miss Hazel._ "

An out-of-breath Lloyd appeared beside them, holding up Hazel's umbrella with a smile. The two looked over at him in surprise, and Genis gave a long-suffering sigh.

"Oh…" Lloyd began again, "...did I interrupt something?"

Zelos took a deep breath and pointed at Hazel again. " _Only_ if you agree to come to Seles' piano recital on Sunday night. She's been workin' hard, ya know. It's the least you could do to be there for her."

Hazel offered a nod. "I'll look forward to it," she promised. "And in the meantime… I can walk you back to the manor, if you like. It's on my way, and we can take turns sharing the umbrella."

"Really? You mean it?" Lloyd gasped and clapped his hands. "You're the best, Hazel!"

Genis could only express his gratitude in a nod.

* * *

Colette had to work late to pack up her students' art and transport it to the venue where the Meltokio Grammar School was going to be doing presentations. The upper grades were practicing for their musical performance on Sunday afternoon, and Colette stayed to watch- she was always thrilled to see how hard the children had worked in the arts, considering how overbearing the school could sometimes be on language and arithmetic. By the time she made it back to the Wilder mansion to meet with Zelos and see the others, Zelos had already taken Lloyd and Genis out with him. Though disappointed to have missed them, she was happy to spend some time catching up with Sheena and getting to know Nika and Bianca. Before she left she stopped by Seles' room to wish her a good night, and then headed out into the rain to return to her own home.

She had only reached the end of the street, however, when she was stopped by a pair of familiar faces.

"Colette! Thank goodness we caught you."

"M-Miss Anna?" Colette looked up, adjusting her grip on her umbrella. "Kratos? What are you two doing here?"

"We were looking for Zelos, but we wanted to talk to you as well," Kratos answered. "It's about Adora."

Colette nearly dropped her umbrella. "Adora?!" she gasped. "I-Is she alright? Where is she? What happened to her? What's-"

Anna stepped forward, ducking under Colette's umbrella and reaching out to take her hand. "Don't worry. Adora is fine. We found her real parents."

The umbrella clattered to the ground as Colette freed her other hand to clasp around Anna's. Her eyes were wide, and she was fighting back tears.

"It's alright," Kratos assured her. "Adora's father was overjoyed to have her back. He was afraid he'd never see her again."

Colette sniffled, but she was smiling brightly. "Oh… thank goodness…"

Anna picked up the umbrella and held it over them while she wrapped her arm around Colette's shoulder.

"...I was so worried we wouldn't find them…" Colette continued, "...Yuan even said that he thought her parents were the ones who abandoned her there in the first place. I'm so glad that's not the case…"

Kratos glanced over at Anna with a look of unease. "Why don't we… get out of the rain and, uh, _discuss_ things? There are some things you need to know"

The tone of his voice caused Colette some concern, but she was happy to agree, and led the two back to the Wilder mansion.


	22. Chapter 22

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 126**  
 _Caraidean a 'nochdadh aig àm cruaidh-chas._  
Friends are known first in hardships.

22-

Colette led Kratos and Anna into the drawing room on the first floor. It wasn't her home, but with Seles asleep and Zelos still out, she was the closest thing to a host that the mansion had at the moment.

"Are you sure you don't want some tea? Sebastian is off duty, but I'd be happy to make some-"

"It's alright, Colette." Anna smiled and sat down on one of the couches. "We had our fill of tea back at Yuan and Song's place."

"And we'd rather this not take too long," Kratos added. He was making a point not to sit down, instead taking a spot beside the couch. "It wouldn't be fair for me to neglect the curfew that I've set for the other members of the militia. We just wanted to stop by to ease your worries. I spoke with Zelos earlier today, and he seemed a little… overwhelmed."

"Was he?" Colette glanced down at the carpet. "He tried to assure me that everything was alright, but I could tell he was nervous."

" _Nervous_ … I suppose that's the right word…"

Anna nudged Kratos and cleared her throat. He shot her a glare, but sighed and turned the conversation back toward the subject at hand.

"As I said before, Adora has been reunited with her family thanks to Yuan. Her father couldn't speak to you tonight, but he wants to meet with you tomorrow in order to express his thanks-"

Colette held up a hand to interrupt. "You... can use her real name now. I don't mind."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Her real name," Colette repeated. "I mean, I just started calling her Adora because of the box, but it'll be easier for everyone if we use her real name."

Kratos and Anna glanced at one another.

"You were right, actually," Anna offered. "Adora is her real name."

A moment passed, and a frown passed over Colette's face. "...really?"

Anna reached out in concern. "What's wrong?"

"But then… why was her name on the box? Do her parents know who put her there? Was she kidnapped? I mean, it had to have been someone who knows her, so-"

"Calm down, Colette," Kratos interrupted. "It's complicated, but… when you meet Adora's father, you'll understand. He asked me to invite you and Zelos to dinner tomorrow night. I know you two are busy, so you don't have to stay long, but he feels that it's only fair he thank you properly."

"Who is he? Why is he being so cryptic about this? If he wanted to thank us, couldn't he have just-?"

"Colette." Kratos reached down and placed his hands against her arms. It worked to quell her nervousness, and she relaxed again to listen to him continue. "Adora's mother passed away, and with everything going on, it's been hard for her father. It's a complicated family situation, and if I were to try to explain it all now, we'd be here all night. But trust me when I say that I wouldn't have let her stay in his care if I didn't believe he'd do what's best for her. I have no doubt that he loves her more than anything. And I think he needs Adora just as much as she needs him. So will you please be patient a little while longer?"

Colette allowed her shoulders to relax. "...I understand. I'm sorry for getting worked up."

"It's okay. It's only natural that you're worried about her," Anna offered, pulling herself to her feet again. She approached Colette as well, putting her arm around her shoulders. "You've done a good thing, Colette."

"Thank you both," Colette reached out to Kratos and Anna, trying to suppress a sniffle. "I just hope that everything turns out al-"

" _-and I'm telling you, you're seeing things! My skincare regime is FLAWLESS. Ask Colette if you're not sure._ "

The entry hall was suddenly filled with noise, and within a moment, Zelos had burst through the drawing room doors, followed by a frantic-looking group of friends. Lloyd and Genis were trying to catch up to him, but he noticed Colette and was across the room in a split second.

"COLETTE," he began, pushing Kratos out of the way so that he could throw an arm around her shoulder, "tell Hazel that I do _not_ have acne; these are FRECKLES, and I've had 'em _forever._ "

Instead of speaking up right away, Colette slowly raised a hand to his cheek in concern. "Zelos, you're soaking wet. What's wrong with you? Your hands are cold, but your face is all red."

Zelos laughed, choked, coughed, and then cleared his throat to continue with the same tone of voice. "Well of course my face is red, hunny. How could I keep from blushing when I've got my eyes on the cutest gal in the world?"

Not one to mince words, Kratos spoke up before anyone else could.

"He's _drunk_."

"Well, yeah," Zelos added, "that too."

Colette gasped, turning to look at Lloyd and Genis. "What happened, you guys? You said you were going out for a drink or two-"

Lloyd yelped. "Don't look at us like that!"

"I-It wasn't our fault!" Genis agreed, waving his hands. "Honest! He just started doing shots, and the next thing we knew…" His sentence trailed off as he realized how that sounded. "I mean, we _tried_ to stop him, but-"

"Don't worry about it, you two," Kratos broke in. "Zelos is an adult. He isn't your responsibility to baby-sit."

"But still-" Colette placed her other hand on Zelos' opposite cheek and turned his face back toward her. "-this isn't like you, Zelos. I've never seen you like this. What happened?"

Zelos let out a giddy giggle. "Your hands are so warm."

"That's because your face is freezing, Zelos. You need to go dry off before you catch pneumonia."

"I can help," Lloyd offered, taking Zelos' hand and leading him back toward the staircase. "I'm _really_ sorry about this, Colette. We should've paid more attention to him and stepped in sooner-"

" _I'm right here, ya know!_ " Zelos yelled, snatching his hand away. "If you've got a problem with the way I deal with my problems, then we're gonna have a… a _problem_ …" He stumbled forward to climb the staircase, but miscalculated how high the second step was and hit his toes on the side of it. Thrown off-balance, he tumbled forward and faceplanted against the steps above.

" _Zelos!_ " Colette shrieked and took off to help him up. By the time she reached him, someone else had come from the top of the staircase and was already helping him to his feet.

"What's all this commotion about? People are trying to sleep, you know!" Sheena let go of him once he'd gotten to his feet, but he almost toppled over again and she had to grab him by the chest. "Geez, what happened to you? You're soaked and you smell like booze."

"I'm so sorry," Colette took over for Sheena, pulling Zelos' arm around her shoulder. "Zelos was out in the rain, and he's not feeling well-"

"And I'm super drunk," Zelos added, flashing a proud grin.

"I'm _so sorry_ about him."

Lloyd and Genis had made it up the stairs by this point, having pushed aside Hazel, Anna, and Kratos, who were still gathered at the base of the stairs, observing the scene. "Colette, you don't have to apologize for him," Lloyd insisted. "If anyone should be apologizing, it's Genis and me."

Sheena crossed her arms, responding to Lloyd but glaring at Zelos. "Why should you apologize? You're not the one causing a ruckus while your friends are trying to rest."

Zelos scoffed and threw a weak punch at Sheena's shoulder with his free arm. "Friend? Some _friend_ you are- I can't believe you seriously banged Lloyd and then didn't tell _me_!"

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-" Sheena's hand flew to her shoulder, her eyes widening. Colette gasped and hissed Zelos' name before beginning another apology, but Sheena wasn't listening. "Wh-what's your deal? Who told you that?"

"I'm intuitive, my dear Sheena. I know these things," Zelos replied with a wink.

"Lloyd told him," Genis corrected.

" _Genis!_ I-I didn't tell him, I swear!" Lloyd could see that _he_ was now the recipient of Sheena's ire, and he fumbled to make some excuse. "I mean, I might've implied some things, but the rest is totally just Zelos' imagination."

"And you left it up to Zelos' imagination? That's _worse_!"

Kratos spoke up from the bottom of the staircase. "Zelos is your _friend_ , though. That makes it okay, right?"

"That's not-!" Lloyd began to protest, but he quickly decided it wasn't worth it and turned back to Sheena. "In my defense, it really wasn't my fault, since I'm kind of drunk too-"

"After only one whisky?" Genis broke in. "I thought you had a higher tolerance than that."

"Shut up, Genis!"

Zelos was laughing throughout the conversation, with Colette trying to calm him down. Anna was scolding Kratos for teasing Lloyd, Kratos was shrugging off the situation, and Hazel had started trying to offer an excuse to leave. The commotion was loud enough that no one heard the front door open and close. Zelos, however, noticed the newcomer before she could slip into the hallway, and called out.

"Yo, Professor! Good to see you out and about on this lovely night!"

"...Raine?" Genis turned around at the sound of Zelos' voice, glancing down to see his sister by the front door.

"Oh, I… I didn't realize everyone would be awake at this hour…" Raine stammered, shrinking back. "Hello, Anna, Kratos. And, of course, Hazel. Good to see you again." She shed her raincoat and left it on the coat rack before making a determined march up the stairs. "I apologize for the curt greeting, but it's been a long evening and I need to get some rest before tomorrow's festivities."

"Hey, no shame in that!" Zelos gave her a pat on the back as she passed by. "See, Lloyd? You could learn a thing or two from someone who's not afraid to admit she's sleepin' with a hot chick."

Raine froze on the last step and turned around with a glint of anger in her eyes. " _Excuse me_?"

"Zelos!" Genis hissed and grabbed him from behind. "I know you're drunk, but watch what you're saying, will you?!"

"I'm so sorry about him," Colette added. "Don't take what he says seriously, okay?"

Raine had already taken a few steps down so that she could speak to Zelos directly. " _I_ won't take him seriously, but there are people who might. And I won't stand for you to belittle important scientific research and professional relationships by making everything about _sex_." She turned and started back up the stairs. "Now if you'll excuse me, Professor Low and I have been asked for a consultation with the restoration team at the history museum tomorrow morning and I can't be late. Good _night_."

"You don't gotta be embarrassed," Zelos called out over Genis and Colette trying to shush him. "That Professor Low is a real catch! Smart, funny, charming- and her family's fortune isn't the _only_ thing she's well-endowed with, if you catch my drift."

"Professor Low is a woman of science," Raine called back pointedly.

Zelos laughed. "Well, yeah, that much is obvious! Only science could get somebody a rack that size-"

Genis and Colette both shoved their hands over Zelos' mouth, but they were too late. There was a pause from the hallway and Raine appeared at the top of the staircase again, gripping the banister so tightly that her knuckles began to turn white.

"For your _information_ ," she growled, "I can confirm that they're _absolutely real._ "

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she seemed to realize what she'd said. The color drained from her face and her hands pulled shakily away from the banister.

"I… believe I have said enough. Good _night_."

Raine disappeared down the hallway, leaving Colette and Sheena scolding Zelos while Genis groaned and buried his face in his hand. Lloyd glanced around, not sure what to make of it all. He looked to Kratos and Anna, hoping that his parents might offer some sort of subject change.

Kratos cleared his throat awkwardly. "It seems as though we may have overstayed our welcome. We should go. This has been…" He fumbled for the right word to describe it, eventually giving up on trying to find something even remotely positive. "...this has been a train wreck. It's probably best to forget this whole conversation ever happened."

"What conversation?" Anna asked with a pointed smile, and Kratos sighed, giving her an approving pat on the head.

"Would you like an escort back to your place, Colette?" he offered. "It's not too far out of our way, and we still have some time before our curfew."

Colette shook her head. "Thanks, but I think I'll stay the night here instead. I'd like to catch up with Lloyd, and I get the feeling that Zelos is going to need some… _moral support_ tomorrow morning."

"Fair enough. Adora's father should be coming by tomorrow afternoon to pick you up for dinner, so make sure Zelos is presentable by then."

"I will!" Colette replied, though her voice was drowned out by Zelos'.

"Wait a minute! Who's coming to what?"

"Colette will explain it," Anna said as she followed Kratos out the door. Before closing it behind them, she waved and blew a kiss. "Good night, Lloyd, dear!"

"Good night, Mom!" Lloyd waved back.

Hazel had followed the two toward the door and was putting her raincoat back on. "I'll excuse myself as well. I look forward to seeing you all on Sunday."

"You'd better not be late!" Zelos called, but by the time he did, she was already out the door. "Geez, that woman moves fast-"

"Zelos, will you _listen_ to us?" Genis picked up on the scolding where Colette and Sheena had left off. "What you said to Raine was totally uncalled for!"

"What?" Zelos offered a lopsided shrug. "Y'can't blame me for thinkin' that anything bigger than Sheena's has gotta be fake-"

Sheena raised one hand to slap him, but Lloyd held her back. "He's drunk, he doesn't know what he's saying!"

"Drunk Zelos will be held accountable for what he says just as much as sober Zelos-" She began to protest, but Zelos already wasn't paying attention.

"Besides," he began, slurring his words as he spoke, "I like mine about _this_ size." His hand wandered to Colette's chest, and Genis bristled as he watched. Colette, seeing Genis about to jump in, quickly took the matter into her own hands.

"I think that's enough for tonight. We need to get you into some dry clothes, or you're going to get sick." Colette squeezed Zelos' wrist, pulling it away from her chest and tugging his arm around her shoulder instead. Her voice was pleasant, but firm. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

"Hunny," Zelos began as Colette practically carried him up the stairs, "you know I don't sleep with women when I'm drunk."

A soft "I know, Zelos," was her only reply.

Zelos continued to speak as they made their way down the hall, mostly peppering Colette with flowery compliments and cheesy pick-up lines. Lloyd, Sheena, and Genis exchanged an awkward glance, but with nothing much to say, they hurriedly wished each other a good night and returned to their own rooms.

* * *

Zelos wasn't used to being fawned over as soon as he woke up. It felt a little like a dream, being surrounded by soft pillows, a cool rag on his forehead and the sound of gentle encouragement from his favourite voice playing through his ears.

If only his body didn't violently ache _everywhere._

"I know you probably want coffee, but Miss Veronica said that you need to drink water first to rehydrate, especially if you're throwing up. Do you feel nauseous?"

Colette sat on the side of the bed next to him, making sure he had a firm grip on the glass. He took a few gulps of the water, feeling his headache abate just a little before he spoke up and the pain came back full-force.

"Nah, I'm not nauseous. It's just… ugh... just that everything hurts."

"You poor thing. Here- drink some more water."

Zelos had to admit, he'd expected a different reaction from Colette. She wasn't even angry; in fact, she seemed to genuinely feel sorry for him. She'd spoken the words ' _you poor thing'_ without a hint of sarcasm, a feat he hadn't believed was possible.

Once he finished the water, she took the glass and returned with a hairbrush in-hand. He perked up a little, always delighted at the prospect of having those precious hands running through his hair, and sat up straight for her.

"I feel pretty horrible, but... all the same, it's nice waking up with you here beside me."

Colette giggled. "You don't need to be sick to spend time with me. I'm always here for you."

"Well, that's a good thing, because I have no intention of repeating this-"

He cut off his sentence as soon as she started tugging on one of the knots in his hair. The brush got caught, and he could tell she was trying to free it, but the more she pulled, the worse the situation became. It was a painful few moments as she wrestled with it before she finally succeeded.

"-ow, ow, ow! Careful with the hair!" As soon as Colette freed the brush, Zelos let himself fall face-first onto the pillow, muffling his speech as he continued. "I guess that's why they call this _mal aux cheveux_."

"I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize." Zelos pulled himself up again and took the brush from her. "I gotta sober up anyway. Could you get me some more water?"

Colette hopped off the bed with a pleasant "of course!" before grabbing the empty glass and returning it to the vanity where the pitcher of water was sitting. She waited for Zelos to put the brush down before she handed it to him.

As he was drinking, there was a knock on the door, and Veronica peeked her head in just a crack.

"Master Zelos, are you feeling alright? You have a guest-"

"I'm not a guest, I'm his sister." Seles pushed her nurse aside and nearly tripped over her own feet trying to get to the bedside. "I heard you were sick. What happened?"

Zelos set the glass down on the bedside table and slid over to make room for Seles. "Don't get so worked up. It's my own fault. I… drank a little too much last night, and now I'm paying for it."

Seles' face fell. "Wait, that's all this is? A _hangover_?" She gave him a sharp hit against the forehead. "And to think I was worried about you!"

" _Ow!_ Geez, Seles, my head hurts enough already! I don't need any extra punishment!"

"Don't be so harsh on him," Colette agreed, taking Seles' hand in hers. "I bunked with Lloyd last night, and he told me everything that happened. I'm so sorry, Zelos- this is all my fault."

"...what?" Zelos raised an eyebrow, mirroring a similar gesture from his sister. "Colette, there's no way _me_ getting shit-faced drunk is somehow _your_ fault."

"That's what Lloyd said… well, not in those words, but…" Colette shook her head. "He told me what you said about the speech. I had a feeling you felt that way, but I never gave you an outlet to talk about it. The fact that you were so worried about others, you had to get heavily intoxicated before you were willing to admit how _you_ really felt… as someone who loves you, it hurts to think that. And it hurts to think I could've prevented it and didn't. I'm so sorry."

Zelos could see her fighting back tears, and he reached up to cup her cheeks in his hands.

"Colette... oh _Colette…_ you have nothing to be sorry for. My happiness is not your responsibility."

"You say that," Seles broke in, "but for people who care about you, your happiness is their happiness. Don't you think Colette and I want you to do what's best for you? What's all this about a speech anyway?"

Zelos gave Colette some space and turned to Seles, bowing his head formally. "Listen, Seles. It's about that speech I'm supposed to give tomorrow- the one about the merging of the Chosen lineages. I know how much you want me to keep being the Chosen for everyone, but I just _can't_. The whole Chosen system is part of the status-quo left over from Cruxis' dual world setup. It's wrong, and it needs to stop. No matter how much people fear change, it would be even worse to keep them indoctrinated in a broken system-"

"Zelos, that makes perfect sense," Seles interrupted. "To tell the truth, I was thinking the same thing. The Chosen lineage and the conflict it brings is the reason we both lost our mothers. I didn't want that to pass on to you and Colette, and your future family, but I assumed you knew what you were doing and were satisfied with the repercussions. If this is how you really feel, you should say so. Why did you think I'd be opposed to it?"

"B-because-"

Veronica answered this time, from where she was standing by the doorway. "I believe he's referring to your recent health, Mistress. Your physical improvement in the past few weeks has correlated almost perfectly with his statements on public responsibility and duty. I made a note of it because I assumed that you were having a beneficial psychological reaction to his sense of heroism."

Seles' face contorted in disbelief. " _What?_ Self-sacrifice isn't necessarily heroism."

"She does have a point, though," Zelos offered. "I've noticed it too. On the mornings after we worked on the speech together, you always seemed to feel so much better."

"So? Correlation isn't causation, Zelos! Didn't you take basic statistics?"

Colette leaned in between the two, trying to keep them from getting too worked up. "Let's not start yelling- loud noises aren't good for Zelos right now. Besides, the point is that everyone was trying to do what was best for everyone else, right?"

Zelos relaxed and leaned back on the pillows. "She's right. All I wanted was for you to get better, Seles. I want you to be happy."

"And I told you, your happiness is my happiness," Seles replied, "y'know, within reason."

Veronica cleared her throat. "That's all well and good, but then how do you plan to address the observations on Mistress Seles' health? Even with no evidence of causation, the correlation is definitely there."

Seles was the one to respond first, her loud "forget that!" echoing around the room. "Zelos' argument is sound, and we're both in agreement! There's no reason to make a public announcement based on speculation when another option is clearly superior."

"I understand," Veronica replied with a polite bow. "But with all due respect, I worry about your ability to write a new speech in time for the event tomorrow. It took you weeks to perfect this speech, even working together. How are you going to write a new one in just one night?"

"We can do it!" Zelos answered with an air of determination now that his headache was beginning to subside. "We'll work on it tonight with everybody's input. Colette, Lloyd, Sheena, Genis, Raine… it'll come from the heart, and that'll make it perfect. Plus-" He paused and offered a charming wink. "-everybody's gonna love the speech anyway, because _I'm_ the one giving it."

Seles gave a resigned sigh. "You're back to your normal self, alright."

"That sounds like so much fun!" Colette clapped enthusiastically. "I'm sure everyone will be happy to work on it too! We can gather everybody together once you and I get back from dinner."

"Dinner?"

"That's right. Don't you remember? I told you last night, we're having dinner with Adora's father."

Zelos' eyes lit up in realization and his shoulder drooped. "Oh yeah right. Adora's father." He fell back onto the pillows with a groan. "That ought to be... fun _._ "

 _And, there's the headache again._


	23. Chapter 23

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 76:**  
 _Cha'n fheum an ti a shealbhaicheas an toradh am blàth a mhilleadh._  
He who would enjoy the fruit must not spoil the blossom.

23-

"Sorry I'm late!"

Colette waved from across the pavilion and stumbled her way around the picnic tables to get to where Lloyd and Sheena were sitting. Greene Park was crowded with food vendors, shops, and visitors, so it had taken Colette some time to track down the location where Lloyd and Sheena had asked her to meet for brunch. They'd done what they could to save her a seat, but she still had to squeeze onto the edge of the bench beside them. Another group of people jostled by as she got settled, nearly knocking her off the end of the bench, but Lloyd threw an arm around her waist and helped her steady herself.

"Careful, there. Wouldn't want to put a Colette-shaped hole in the floorboards, now would we?"

Colette giggled. "Yeah, I don't think Meltokio needs any more of those."

"...any more…?" Sheena murmured, but didn't push it further. They had brunch to eat and plans to discuss. Colette let them know how Zelos was doing, and of course invited them to help work on the speech that evening. Lloyd and Sheena were enthusiastic about the idea, and they spent the rest of the conversation brainstorming about it until Colette finally pointed out an ice cream stand that she wanted to visit.

The three chose their favorite flavors and sought out a less-crowded corner of the park to stay while they ate. Lloyd was enjoying his so much that he didn't even notice someone approach from behind. She tapped him on the shoulder, but when he turned around to see who it was, she snatched the cone right out of his hand.

"Hah! I got it!" Anna held up the cone triumphantly before allowing herself a taste. "Thank you, Lloyd dear."

"M-Mom? Give it back!" Lloyd reached for the cone, finding it just beyond his reach. "You can't just take another person's food! It's got all my germs on it."

"I'm your mother," Anna defended, taking a defiant lick of ice cream. "Any germs you have, you got from me."

Bryan raised one hand hesitantly. "Miss Anna, I don't think that's quite how germs work-"

"Oh, yeah!" Anna shoved the ice cream cone back into Lloyd's hands so that she could turn her attention to Bryan. "I don't think I've properly introduced you! This is my son, Lloyd, and his friends Colette and Sheena. Guys, this is Bryan, my new platoon leader and one of Kratos' personal pupils. He's my partner for our patrol today."

"I remember you from the other day!" Colette chimed. "You're a very good fighter. Training with Kratos is hard work."

Bryan blushed noticeably and averted his gaze. "I-I remember you too. The babysitter, right? How's, uh… _Adora_ doing?"

"You remembered her name!" Colette's eyes sparkled as she spoke. She approached Bryan, and while he stiffened and backed away a little, she didn't seem to notice. "She's doing well. In fact, her father invited me out to dinner tonight to thank me for my help. It's a little embarrassing, to tell the truth, but I'm just so happy that he's happy with my work."

"I'm sure you're a _great_ babysitter, C-Colette!"

Sheena nudged Lloyd and motioned toward Bryan, but just as he realised what she was getting at, Colette obliviously took care of the situation herself.

"Well, I can't take all the credit. My fiancé helped a bunch. He's _so_ good with kids. And our friend Yuan helped too! I didn't think he knew much about kids, but he surprised me…"

Lloyd noted with some pity the way Bryan's face fell at the word 'fiancé,' but the boy made a surprisingly fast recovery, especially once Anna stepped in.

"Let's not get too caught up in pleasantries," she commented, nudging Bryan's arm. "We're still on duty, and Kratos won't be happy if he sees us goofing off."

Bryan snapped to attention. "That's right! We need to stay moving along the path for the best visibility."

"Oh? You mean the running path that loops around the park?" Lloyd spoke up while crunching into his cone. "I was gonna run that after I finished my ice cream. Gotta work off brunch so that I can have a decent lunch."

Anna giggled at Lloyd's comment and nudged him toward Bryan. "Why don't you two walk it together? I feel like you two would get along well. And of course-" She paused for just long enough to snatch the last bite of the cone from Lloyd's hands. "-I'll stay here and survey the area with Colette and Sheena."

Lloyd pouted as he watched Anna eat the last of the ice cream cone, but he shrugged it off and started down the path. He threw a playful punch at Bryan's shoulder as he ran past, saying "Betcha I can make it all the way around the path before you can!"

"You're on, Irving!"

Colette, Sheena, and Anna watched the two men as they disappeared into the crowd. Anna and Colette laughed, and even Sheena couldn't suppress a giggle.

"I hope those two don't get themselves into trouble," she commented with a smirk, and Anna nodded in agreement.

"Bryan needs to remember that we're here protecting the peace, not disrupting it."

"Don't worry," Colette added with a shake of her head. "I don't think Lloyd would lead him astray."

Sheena fought back another laugh, and Anna shrugged her shoulders with a look of uncertainty. Still, the three of them began chatting and wandered over to the center of the park where the fountain was running despite the morning's cold weather draping icicles along the terraces. As Anna took some time to admire the work of art that the winter chill had created, Colette moved closer and cleared her throat awkwardly.

"So, um, I hate to bring this up, but have you had the chance to talk to Lloyd yet? About what we discussed when I visited on Tuesday, I mean."

Anna blushed and looked away. "No, not yet. But I _have_ told Sheena, so-"

"You haven't told Lloyd?" Colette's face fell and she allowed her head to droop. Anna stiffened and waved her hands.

"It's not like that! I just haven't had the time, is all. We haven't had a moment alone together, so the topic just hasn't come up."

"It's not our place to butt in, Colette," Sheena nodded her head. "They're all adults. They can work things out themselves."

"Thank you, Sheena!" Anna tapped her chest proudly. "I fact, I was planning to tell Lloyd tomorrow."

Colette and Sheena both answered simultaneously.

"Tomorrow?" " _T-tomorrow_?"

"Yeah! At the picnic, after the big presentation Zelos is giving!" Anna opened her mouth to continue, but she suddenly caught a note of hesitance in Sheena's voice and perked up. "Oh! Unless of course… there's _something else_ someone wants to talk to him about at the picnic…"

"It's not really-" "I was just thinking-"

Colette and Sheena both stopped as they realized they were talking over each other. Sheena gestured to Colette, who shook her head, but Sheena insisted, and so Colette began again with a sigh.

"It's not really a big deal or anything…" Colette looked down at her feet. "But once we've gone public with our engagement, Zelos and I were planning to ask Lloyd to be a part of our wedding. In Meltokio they have this arrangement where the groom has a _best man_ , and the bride has a _maid of honor_ who accompany them, and… well, Zelos and I actually had an argument over it because we both wanted Lloyd to be ours. So we decided to ask him to do both."

Sheena raised an eyebrow. "Isn't, uh, the maid of honor usually a-"

"That's _wonderful_ , Colette!" Anna threw her arms around Colette in a hug. "You should definitely ask him. I know Lloyd will be thrilled to be a part of your wedding!"

"W-well, if you're going to-" Colette found it difficult to speak while under Anna's tight hold, and had to wait for Anna to let go before she could catch her breath and continue. "-I mean, if there's something you and Sheena want to talk to him about, this wedding isn't happening for a while. Sheena, what were you going to say?"

A blush spread across Sheena's cheeks and she looked away. "Er, it's not much, but I'd been thinking about discussing some Mizuho traditions with him. Like, comparing them to some of the traditions you have back in Sylvarant. I was just curious at how they differed, and what he thinks of them-"

Anna had been bouncing on her toes the whole time Sheena was speaking, and finally she couldn't contain her excitement anymore.

"Sheena's going to ask him to marry her!"

Colette's whole face lit up, her eyes sparkling in delight. "Oh, Sheena! That's _wonderful_!" She threw her arms around Sheena and picked her up a few centimeters to twirl her around. "I'm so happy for you both!"

"Wh-what is it with you two and the hugging?" Sheena choked. "In some cultures, _this_ could be considered a marriage proposal."

Colette set Sheena back down on the pavement. "I'm sorry. I'm just so happy for you. You two are going to be so happy together- I mean, you already are, but if my experience with Zelos is anything to go by, you'll be even _more_ happy knowing that you'll have the person you love by your side forever-"

Sheena took a step back to massage her arms where Colette had squeezed them. "It's not going to be anything fancy like Zelos did for you. Proposals in Mizuho aren't like that at all, so I wouldn't even know where to start. It's just going to be kind of a casual thing. And of course if he isn't ready, there's no pressure on him to agree. S-so I don't think it's worth getting so excited over."

"Aw, but it's so exciting-"

Anna let out a giggle as she watched Colette and Sheena's exchange. The two girls turned to look at her, and she offered an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, you two. I don't mean to be rude. I think you're both right in your own way."

Sheena couldn't help a sheepish smile as well. "I guess you're right. I should be willing to admit when I'm excited, shouldn't I?"

"And I shouldn't put too much pressure on you," Colette added. "You should take your relationship the way you need it to go, not the way someone else dictates it."

"Very true." Anna sat down on the edge of the fountain, crossing her arms and nodding her head. "You know, I proposed to Kratos in the middle of a battle with several high-ranking Desians."

"You… what?"

"Oh yeah. They had us surrounded, standing back-to-back. He asked me for a strategy because he'd run out of ideas, and I just told him _'if we make it out of here alive, I want you to marry me_."

Sheena frowned. "That's not a-"

"I don't think I've ever seen him fight like that. Those Desians didn't know what hit them."

Colette giggled with a comment on how romantic that was, but Sheena let out an exasperated sigh. "I guess you just have to figure out what motivates some people."

Their laughter was cut off as Sheena noticed Lloyd and Bryan headed their way from a short distance down the path. The two looked exhausted, but once they saw the fountain, they seemed to get the energy for one last sprint. Lloyd reached the side of the fountain first, collapsing onto the side as he tried to catch his breath. Bryan followed, not far behind, but far enough that he was clearly disappointed.

"I can't… believe… you beat me…" Bryan panted, wiping the sweat from his brow. "You're pretty good at this. How come you haven't joined up with the militia?"

"That's not really my style," Lloyd answered, though he couldn't suppress a proud grin. "Kratos did inspire me to think about pursuing a mercenary career, but in the end, I just can't shake my love of smithing. Gotta keep the family tradition alive, you know?"

"That's cool. Kinda makes me wish I had a family business to go into… but I like this a lot better."

Anna hovered over them, offering a hand to help each of them up. "And you're good at this too," she spoke, nodding in Bryan's direction. "Lloyd's a better smith than he is soldier. But _you_ \- well, Kratos says it would be a waste for you to ignore your talent in combat."

"K-Kratos said that?"

"Totally! But, uh, don't tell him I told you…"

Meanwhile, Lloyd had made it to his feet, but he still wasn't steady. Sheena let him lean against her shoulder as he tried to recover, still out of breath from the whole deal.

"You alright, Lloyd?" she asked, brushing a few strands of hair away from his face. He offered a nod in reply- a weak one, but a nod nonetheless.

"Y-yeah… just give me a few minutes. I'll be back to normal in no time. And then we can find someplace good to get some lunch."

"Lunch?" Sheena frowned. "But we just-"

"I saw a place earlier that was offering crepes!" Colette chimed in before Sheena could protest. "I don't want to miss out on them before the festival is over."

Lloyd grinned and tossed his arm around her shoulders. "Then it sounds like we've found our next stop! Come on!"

Sheena couldn't help a laugh as she watched. She might not be hungry, but she could never get her fill of Lloyd and Colette's enthusiasm.

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay with this? You've watched Bianca all day, after all. It's only fair for-"

Genis couldn't help feeling like he was imposing on Raine and Professor Low, no matter how many times they'd insisted on looking after Bianca. He wanted to take them up on their offer for a dinner alone with Nika, of course, but they'd had that the night before, and he knew it would cost the two professors their own chance at a romantic dinner. Still, Professor Low wouldn't budge.

"Nonsense! We love having Bianca with us!" She had scooped the girl up in her arms and offered her an affectionate smile. "Don't listen to Genis. He's just jealous of all the fun we're having together."

Bianca giggled and turned to wave at Genis and Nika. "I'll be fine, really! I love hanging out with Professor Low and big-sis Raine. You two have a super fun date!"

"Just… be good for them, okay?" Nika approached them and placed a hand on Bianca's head. "I don't want you causing any trouble."

"Me, cause trouble? When would I do that?"

Raine burst out laughing. "That sounds awfully familiar. Did you learn that line from Genis?"

"Hey, now," he responded with a huff, "shouldn't I be happy that Bianca admires me enough to copy my phrases?"

" _Worried_ , more like," Raine replied with a smirk.

Genis began to protest, but he couldn't exactly argue, so he left the subject alone.

Professor Low led Raine and Bianca back to her own house, chatting excitedly about what a delicious chicken picatta her chef made, and how much Raine and Bianca would enjoy it. This sparked Bianca's excitement, and she ran ahead of them all the way to Professor Low's house, opening the enormous door with some difficulty. Raine caught up with her and laughed as she supported the door so that Bianca could enter.

"Let's go upstairs and eat in the sunroom, overlooking the balcony," Professor Low spoke as she followed into the entryway. "I'd love to watch the sun set while we're eating."

"Is there a table in the sunroom?" Raine asked.

"Yes, but I don't think there's enough chairs." Professor Low glanced up the staircase and straightened her glasses. "I'll have to go grab another from the dining room. Raine, go on ahead. I'll meet you up there."

"You aren't going to ask a servant to-" Raine began in surprise, but she stopped herself. "-er, I mean, _thank you_. Bianca, let's head up."

Bianca started to follow Raine up the stairs, but Professor Low broke in and stopped her.

"Actually, I thought she'd like to come with me. You haven't seen the dining room, have you, Bianca? We have a chandelier with almost two-thousand pieces of handcrafted crystal."

Bianca's eyes lit up. "Ooh! I wanna see! Please Raine, can I go?"

"O-of course. You don't have to ask _me_. I'll see the two of you upstairs."

With a proud smile, Bianca hopped down the stairs and stood proudly at Professor Low's side. Raine waved and continued, and Professor Low waited until she had disappeared from view to finally turn to Bianca. Much to the girl's surprise, she knelt down and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Miss Bianca, I must ask you something." She leaned her head forward, the light from the window glinting off the rims of her glasses. "I have an experiment to run tonight, and it is of grave importance that you assist me."

Bianca froze, noting the seriousness in the professor's voice. "You want _me_ to help? With a real experiment? What about Raine? How come you don't ask her?"

"It's also important that Raine not know," Professor Low responded with a wink, "and imperative that I have your help. Will you assist me?"

"Why can't Raine know? Is there something wrong with her?"

"Not at all! There's nothing wrong- in fact, it's something special to surprise her. How about it?"

Bianca paused and thought it over for a little while.

"...will I still get to see the chandelier?"

The question seemed to stump Professor Low. Finally, she burst out laughing and pulled Bianca into a hug. "Of course you can, you silly! Come on! I'll brief you along the way."

* * *

" _Master Zelos_ , _you have a visitor_."

Sebastian's voice rang out over the intercom system, catching Zelos in the middle of styling his hair. He cursed and set the brush down on the vanity so that he could respond.

"Who is it?" he asked. "I wasn't expecting a visitor for another-"

" _A Mister Yuan Ka-Fai, master. He wishes to speak with you and Colette._ "

Zelos let out a sigh. He wanted to make a good impression on Adora's father, but Yuan he could deal with while still half-dressed. Tossing on a bathrobe, he stumbled down the stairs and into the entryway where Sebastian and Yuan were waiting for him.

"Took you long enough," Yuan scoffed, glancing him over. "And you couldn't even bother to get dressed?"

"If you must know, I've been getting ready for an important guest," Zelos replied with a huff. "What do you think you're doing here anyway?"

Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I'm _sorry_ to take you away from your important guest. Kratos led me to believe that _I_ had plans with you and Colette tonight."

Sebastian cleared his throat and stepped back. "This seems to be a personal matter, Master Zelos, so I'll leave you two to sort things out yourselves while I fetch Mistress Colette from Mistress Seles' room."

As Sebastian disappeared down the hallway, Zelos approached Yuan.

" _Listen_ ," he hissed, "I don't know what your goal here is, but it's thanks to you that Colette finally found Adora's family and I want to at least be grateful to you for that. I'm getting ready to meet Adora's father, so if you don't mind, I still have my hair to do and an outfit to choose."

Zelos wanted to turn his back to Yuan and storm up the stairs, but something in Yuan's expression held him there. He stared at Yuan's eyes, trying to determine what exactly there was that intrigued him, but he couldn't figure it out until Yuan finally spoke up.

"...heh, I guess I overestimated you. That's a first."

"Over-" Zelos began angrily, but he was cut off.

"I knew Colette was a scatterbrain, but I thought _you_ would've been able to put two and two together."

Zelos considered the words for a few moments before something finally clicked. He had never really examined Yuan's features before, but having recently spent so much time with Adora, he started to recognize certain similarities. The nose bridge, the folds of his eyelids, the color of his hair…

"My gods," Zelos whispered, "she's _yours_."

"Now we're getting somewhere."

Zelos stepped back, pressing his hands to his forehead. He began to laugh in spite of himself, trying to process the new information.

"She's yours. All this time, she was yours. How did I not see it? But how the hell-? I mean, _who_? When? Does Song know you cheated on him? Or is he-"

" _Enough!_ " Yuan snapped. "Shut up about Song, shut up about all of this! You have no right to act so smug about all of this, just like you and Colette had no right to _rescue_ my daughter!"

Zelos' eyes widened, his taunts suddenly disappearing as he thought over the words Yuan had used. "...no right… to rescue…" He lunged forward, grabbing Yuan by the shoulders, his fingernails digging into the fabric of Yuan's shirt. " _YOU_ did this! _You_ locked her away. You were trying to kill her!"

"I did _not_." Yuan growled through clenched teeth, taking hold of Zelos' arms. " _Martel_ did, and she was trying to _save_ her!"

The two stopped, both sets of eyes locked on one another. Zelos was the first to let go, his arms lowering slowly.

"...Martel _…_ " he murmured, and then repeated himself in confusion. "... _Martel?_ "


	24. Chapter 24

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 80**  
 _Cha bhi luathas is grinneas còmhla._  
Haste makes waste.

24-

"You were right, Professor, this is amazing! It's even better than what Nika makes."

Bianca insisted on cutting her own food, and while she was making a mess of it, neither Raine nor Professor Low had the heart to step in. She had conspicuously shoved most of the capers to the side of her plate and was eating around the ones caught tangled in the pasta. Raine found herself staring in amusement, reminded of the way that Genis used to pick at his food when he was very young. Though… it was usually more related to the poor quality of her cooking than any pickiness on his part.

The sun was beginning to set over the Meltokio skyline as they finished up with dinner. A butler took their plates with a promise of dessert very soon, which had Bianca rescinding her earlier statement that she "couldn't eat another bite." Instead, she raised her hand and waved it to catch Professor Low's attention.

"Professor? Where's the bathroom?"

"It's just down the hall, on your left," Professor Low replied with a gesture toward the door. "Would you like me to walk you there?"

"No-thank-you! I can find it all by myself." She'd said the last part almost defiantly, already out of her chair and headed toward the hall door. "I'll be right back!"

Despite the fact that she hadn't stated _outright_ that she was going to the bathroom, Bianca did drop by first so that she wasn't technically lying. It was just like the ones in the Wilder mansion- more palatial than she was used to, and with buttons and appliances in strange places, the purpose of which were unknown. It piqued her curiosity, but she knew that she could always test it out later. Right now she had a special mission for Professor Low, and she couldn't let herself be delayed by something as trivial as a strange-looking button on the side of the bathtub.

The directions Low had given her were easy enough to follow, and soon she found her way down the stairs and into the greenhouse in the mansion's east courtyard. Just as Professor Low had said, there was a pair of servants waiting by the rose bushes. Bianca approached the door of the greenhouse, but she briefly heard the name _Zelos_ used in their conversation, and she stopped behind the doorframe to listen.

" _...a speech that important in just one night? Even if he is an academic prodigy, he should know better than to make such rash decisions!"_

" _If he's going to take a position of neutrality, should we really be worried? Unless he tries to argue a point, people will keep believing what they want to believe-"_

" _You know nothing can be truly neutral. There's always an unconscious bias to any public statement. And with him allegedly receiving assistance in the speechwriting from Professor Sage, is there any wonder where that unconscious bias is going to fall? We have to do_ something. _"_

" _Right, but I don't think that_ something _should be a public assassination. Our plans were to disguise it as natural causes, and we can't exactly do that by using magic in front of a crowd of people."_

" _I know. That's why boss said she was going to disguise the assassination as-"_

At this point, Bianca couldn't bear to listen any more. This felt just like before, with the courtyard at the university and the would-be vandals that had captured her. She spun around, determined to get away before they could spot her, but as she ran back across the courtyard, her foot caught on the edge of one of the stepping stones and she toppled over. Her hands flew out in front of her to break her fall, and her palms scraped against the rough surface of the path. She couldn't help a yelp of pain, and another of fear as she tried to get up and saw blood on her hands.

"What's going on? Are you alright?" It was one of the servants from the greenhouse, pulled from the conversation by the Bianca's cry. He ran to her side and knelt down beside her, placing a hand on her arm to help her up. She pulled away, however, screaming and struggling.

"I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT THE ASSASSINATION! I WON'T TELL ANYONE, I PROMISE! JUST PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! DON'T LOCK ME UP! PLEASE, _PLEASE!_ "

At the sound of her pleas, he let go and began to stammer out a reassurance. "What are you talking about? We won't hurt you. What did you overhear-?"

Bianca didn't want to stick around to answer his question, but as she tried to run in a daze, she found the other servant blocking her path back into the mansion. Defeated, she collapsed onto the pavement, shielding herself with her bloodied hands.

" _Please!_ Don't hurt me! I won't tell anyone! _"_

"What's going on?" the woman asked to her partner as she knelt down beside Bianca.

"She overheard us talking about an assassination, and now she's afraid we're going to hurt her."

"What? Oh no, no, no." The woman gasped and moved back to give Bianca some space. "We weren't talking about a _real_ assassination. This was just about a grown-up game we're playing with our friends. We would never hurt you."

Bianca let herself relax a little at the soothing sound of the woman's voice and lowered her hands. There was still a look of fear on her face, but she was no longer shaking.

"A… game?"

"Exactly. It's a tabletop game called _Habeas Corpus_ , and we play it every Friday night with our friends. It involves making political alliances between made-up countries and trying to conquer the most territory. _That's_ what we were discussing- about last night's game and about our alliance's plan to assassinate the archduke of the imaginary country of Austro-Hungary next week. It's all make-believe."

Bianca frowned. "That's _really_ all it was?"

"Yes, that's all it was, we promise." The male servant knelt down beside Bianca as well. "We're _so sorry_ to have scared you. I'm sure that must have sounded terrifying out of context, but you don't have to worry. Alright?"

Bianca sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. "A-alright. I understand."

"Ooh, you scraped your hands up pretty badly, didn't you? Let's get you cleaned up." The woman took Bianca by the arms and helped her to her feet. "Then we'll cut the flowers that the mistress asked for. You are the Miss Bianca that we're supposed to be meeting, aren't you?"

"Yes, that's me."

"Then let's hurry up! The mistress wouldn't want us wasting the time of one of her honored guests, after all."

"Honored guest?" Bianca was still a little nervous, but that phrase made her smile even if just for a moment. "I've never been an _honored guest_ before."

It didn't keep her from wondering, however...

 _If it was all just pretend, why did they mention Zelos and Raine by name?_

* * *

Raine leaned back in her chair with a satisfied sigh. "I have to admit, I was skeptical about this dish, since you talked it up so much. But your chef certainly delivered."

"Well, it's one of your favorite dishes. Of course you'd be critical." Professor Low offered a wink in Raine's direction. "So that makes it all the more meaningful that you enjoyed it."

"It was so good, I'm almost afraid to ask what's for dessert."

"One of my own favorites- a dark chocolate torte paired with a signature limoncello from the Altamira coast."

"And for Bianca?"

"Um…" Professor Low shrugged with an apologetic smile. "A dark chocolate torte _not_ paired with a signature limoncello from the Altamira coast." She laughed and then continued with "Unless, of course, she wants to try just a sip. I find there's nothing to discourage underage drinking more than the unexpected sting of liquor."

Raine nearly choked on her laughter, her memory suddenly flashing back a few years. "At least limoncello is sweet. Genis was introduced to Dwarven whisky when he was fifteen, and he swore off hard drinks for the rest of his life. Honestly? I don't blame him."

"Really? For shame! The smoky peat flavour of a good Islay malt is one of life's greatest pleasures."

"Hm," Raine smiled, but she placed a hand over her mouth, "I'm afraid that's one pleasure I'll let you keep for yourself."

Professor Low smirked. "That's not a problem. I have plenty of other pleasures to share with you that I'm _sure_ you'll enjoy-"

" _Hey, now_! Bianca could be back any minute." Raine tried to hide her amusement behind a look of concern. "We should save this conversation for later."

"Perhaps that's a good idea," Professor Low nodded. "If you'd like, we can step out onto the balcony for a few minutes. Now that the sun's almost set, we can see the city lights better."

"Isn't it cold?"

"If you get cold, we can come right back in."

Raine thought it over for a second, glancing back toward the hallway where Bianca had disappeared, and then back to the balcony. It _was_ a lovely view, and some fresh air always did her good after a big dinner. "...alright, let's go," she said as she stood up.

Professor Low let Raine lead the way out the sunroom door and onto the balcony. Raine made her way to the railing, setting her hands on it to steady her as she examined the view of the city below. The surface of the marble was cold- a deep sort of cold that seeped into her skin- so she pulled her hands away after just a moment and placed them in her pockets.

"It's a beautiful view, isn't it?" Professor Low finally asked. "I used to come out here as a girl and study the way the city was set up. Society is so much like a machine in the way that it works, the way everyone's lives intertwine into a fabric of energy. I always wanted to design a piece of magitechnology that would work as efficiently as a city. But as I got older, I realized how truly unpredictable people can be. We're not just machines, we have free will that enables us to make independent decisions. No machine could ever replicate that, and in a way, I don't think I'd ever want them to."

Raine glanced over at Professor Low, who was standing a short distance away rather than right next to her. It almost made her nervous, considering the seriousness of Low's sudden observation. But as Professor Low continued, her voice grew softer.

"It's frustrating to know that there are processes I could never replicate in my magitechnology. But at the same time, the more I learn about the gap between human nature and technological capacity, the more in-awe I am of the people around me. And I think part of that is thanks to you."

"...me?" Raine looked up in surprise.

"When I met you back in Autumn to begin work on the project, I was skeptical about what we were going to achieve. But we've done so much in so little time, and it's not thanks to any kind of technology. It's because of your determination and hard work. I've learned a lot working with you, both about my work and about myself."

"Y-you… are giving me too much credit," Raine stammered, turning her attention back out to the city lights.

"I don't think I am," Professor Low replied, her earrings jangling as she shook her head. "Listen- I know we haven't known each other for that long, but these past few months have been the most incredible of my life. I've never met anyone like you, and somehow I can't remember what my life was like before you became a part of it. And I can't imagine what it would be like without you. I _love_ you, Raine."

The conviction behind her words caused Raine to spin around. She came face to face with Professor Low, who was standing opposite her with a firm expression.

"I suppose it's not right to say that I _can't_ imagine my life without you," she continued. "My critical thinking skills are far too advanced to be so limited. But I don't _want_ to imagine it. I want to have confidence in knowing that you'll always be a part of my life as I want to be a part of yours. So-"

Raine stepped back as she watched, Professor Low's motions, trying to get a grip on what was happening. She'd studied Tethe'allan customs. She knew what this was. And yet she was entirely unprepared for it. What the _hell_ was she supposed to say?

The ring was gorgeous- almost too much so. Raine had never seen a yellow diamond that big, much less inlaid in platinum, surrounded by smaller accent stones that wrapped around the band. It probably cost more money than she'd ever had in her entire life, and here it was being offered to her by someone she'd known for less than five _months_. She was so frozen-up, she almost didn't even hear the question.

"-Professor Raine Sage, _will you marry me_?"

Shakily, Raine placed her hands over Professor Low's.

"Todd, I… this is… this is _incredible_ … I don't have the words…" She did have _some_ words, of course, but they wouldn't come to her mouth. Things like ' _too soon'_ and ' _maybe someday'_ and simply ' _no'_ were stuck deep in her throat, caught there by her nervousness. "...but our project… going public with this would be…"

"No one would have to know. I have everything worked out- we can elope and be out of Meltokio by tomorrow night. A colleague of mine has just uncovered a neolithic archeological site near Asgard that has yet to be mapped out. It would make the perfect honeymoon, just the two of us unearthing artifacts that haven't been seen or touched by man for thousands of years. Then we could be back in Palmacosta to start up work again, with no one being the wiser. It'd be perfect. What do you say?"

A small, clandestine wedding. A honeymoon at a newly-discovered archeological site. A promise to move forward with research endeavors, no matter the cost. Raine was looking at someone who reflected all the passion she herself had, someone she had fallen in love with because of a mutual love for all the things she herself loved. How could she say no to that?

She couldn't. And somehow that realization only made it worse.

"... _yes_ …" Raine finally choked out. "...yes, I will."

Professor Low's eyes lit up, and she let out a squeal of happiness. Before Raine even knew what was happening, she found a ring on her finger and her feet lifted off the ground. Professor Low twirled her around the balcony, laughing a still-nervous, giddy laugh.

"Raine! Oh, Raine!" Low set her down, moving her hands to Raine's cheeks. "I believe with a 95-percent confidence interval that you've made me the happiest woman in the world right now."

Raine forced a smile through her clouded thoughts, trying to sum up the courage to sound excited. "I assume that your 5% margin of error is to account for the woman you just proposed to, right?"

"Oh, _you_!" Professor Low leaned in and captured Raine's lips in a kiss. It wasn't any different from the ones they'd shared in the past, but Raine found she couldn't truly return it. The weighty ring felt heavy on her hand, as though it were dragging her down and a worried knot formed in her stomach.

Eventually Professor Low pulled away and tapped the tip of her nose against Raine's nose with a grin. "You were right- it's cold out here. Shall we go back in? Bianca should be back by now, and I think she has a surprise for you too."

"Oh?" Raine's voice hitched in her throat, and she was finally able to speak honestly. "I'm not sure I can handle any more surprises tonight."

"It's not anything big, I just thought it would be appropriate to share some of-" Professor Low's sentence cut off as she stepped back in the door behind Raine. "-well, where _is_ she?"

"Should she have been back by now?" Raine glanced around. "The bathroom isn't that far."

"I sent her to get flowers from the greenhouse. Simon and Gisela were supposed to meet her, and-"

Professor Low had begun to wander into the hallway, and by the time she did so, Bianca and the servants had just rounded the corner on their way back. Seeing Professor Low, Bianca waved and broke into a run.

"Professor, Professor! Sorry we're late!"

Raine joined them in the hallway, and when Bianca made it to the door, she handed her the bundle of roses.

"For you! Congratulations!"

"Th-thank you." Raine glanced down at the flowers with mixed feelings. They were beautiful, but… had Low been _that_ certain she'd say yes?

Professor Low wasn't paying attention to the flowers, however. "What took you so long, Bianca? We were worried."

"Sorry. I fell and hurt my hands." Bianca blushed and looked at the floor. "These guys helped me get cleaned up."

"Oh, thank you two. I'm so sorry for the trouble-"

"It's no trouble, Mistress." The female servant spoke up, kneeling down beside Bianca. "We were just explaining the rules of _Habeas Corpus_ to her. You should have her play sometime- she's a fast learner."

"Well, of course she is!" Professor Low's smile had returned, and she took Bianca's hand to return to the sunroom. "But we can save the games for later. Right now there's a dessert with your name on it."

"Dessert! Hooray!"

Bianca skipped into the room following Professor Low. Raine trailed behind them, focused on the flowers in her hands and the ring on her finger. It all felt so strange, so difficult to come to terms with. But she wondered if perhaps it was just nervousness on her part. All brides got cold feet at some point, didn't they? But they always overcame it and lived happily ever after.

 _Didn't they?_

* * *

Colette seemed less surprised by the story than Zelos thought she should.

It was all too surreal, like something out of one of his and Seles' mystery novels. A secret lovechild, a dead mother, a twisted web of lies to hide the shameful truth… but this wasn't just some story that would be guaranteed a happy ending. This was real and it was _frightening_. All Zelos could think was that Adora didn't deserve this- didn't deserve a father who would leave her behind.

No child deserved to grow up feeling unwanted by the people who should have loved them most. He knew that painfully well.

"Where is Adora now?" Zelos finally demanded. He tugged at the collar of his shirt, still somewhat lopsided from the haphazard way he'd thrown it on in an attempt to get the truth out of Yuan as quickly as possible. Yuan had joined him and Colette in the dining room, not to eat anything, but simply to get some privacy while they talked out the situation. Yuan had kept a cold demeanor throughout the whole story, and it grated on Zelos' nerves. He knew that Yuan was trying to keep from showing any trace of emotional vulnerability that Zelos could latch onto, but… _dammit_ , no father should be able to describe losing his child with no reaction whatsoever!

"She's with Song. He agreed to babysit while I sorted this out," Yuan responded. "I thought it best that she not be here. I wasn't sure how _Zelos_ would take the news."

Colette glanced over at Zelos and then back at Yuan. "You don't have to worry about that. Now that you've told us, we understand. We're sad that you felt you couldn't trust us, but not angry. Right, Zelos?"

"She's right… at least somewhat." Zelos turned his head away. "I don't care about all the lies you told us. That's not the issue. What I want to know is, why did you say that Colette _didn't have any right_ to rescue Adora? Are you saying you wanted to _leave_ her there?"

The room went silent. Colette's face turned white and she turned back to Yuan.

"Is… is that true?"

Yuan looked down at the table with a serious frown. "I've known for a long time that you were capable of breaking Martel's spell. If I'd wanted you to do it, I would have asked you a long time ago."

Once again, the conversation was swallowed up by silence. Zelos wasn't surprised- after all, he'd already had time to process that conclusion- so he instead looked to Colette for her reaction. She didn't seem to have one, however, keeping a blank expression on her face. There wasn't a hint of shock or grief or any other kind of emotion. Just… blankness.

"Why?" she finally spoke.

A strange look passed over Yuan's face, one that Zelos couldn't quite identify. "I don't quite understand what you're asking," Yuan replied. "Why what?"

"Why didn't you want me to break the spell? At what point did you give up on Adora?"

Zelos had to admit, Colette was doing an amazing job of keeping her composure. He was ready to strangle Yuan at this point. _Giving up_ wasn't the phrase that he would've used.

Yuan lifted his gaze to stare back at Colette. "I _gave up_ on Adora the moment Martel died. By the time you were born, it had been millennia since I even _considered_ seeing Adora again."

"I didn't mean before. Even if you'd given up before, knowing someone could break the spell should have renewed your hope." Colette's voice cracked just a little, but she was able to finish her question. "When, despite knowing that rescuing your daughter was within reach, did you make the decision _not_ to? When did you decide you _didn't want her_?"

That finally broke Yuan's stern expression. He dropped his gaze back to the table.

"It wasn't that. I _did_ want her. But I wanted her to be _happy_. And bringing her into the kind of place this world has become isn't what I wanted for her." He closed his eyes and turned his head away. "Face it, it's not any better to be a half-elf now than it was back when she was born. Her uncle tore this world apart- _literally-_ and people, especially in Sylvarant, blame half-elves for that. Her mother is dead and I can't give her what she needs on my own. This lonely, broken, hostile world… I wouldn't have chosen to bring her into this."

Colette seemed to be considering what to say, and while Zelos hated to interrupt her, he just couldn't stand it any longer. He jumped to his feet, practically snarling at Yuan as he spoke. "Well, then, I'm DAMN GLAD that it wasn't your choice! You really think just because you're her father, that it's your right to choose when and where she lives? She's her own person, Yuan! And I'll be damned if I'm going to let you decide to abandon her under some stupid pretext of _wanting what's best for her_! I'm going to talk to Song."

Zelos stormed out of the room, not even willing to look back. Colette jumped up, calling " _Zelos_!" but she wasn't fast enough to get to him before Yuan did. Yuan caught him in the hallway, throwing an arm around his neck.

"Don't you _DARE_ lay a hand on _MY DAUGHTER_!"

"Oh!" Zelos struggled against Yuan's grip, elbowing him in the stomach. Yuan let go, both allowing Zelos the room to throw a punch and allowing himself the room to dodge. "You can't act entitled to the life and death of your child and then decide to be a good parent once it's out of your hands! You haven't got the _RIGHT_ to raise Adora now!"

" _Right_? And what gives _you_ the _RIGHT_ to decide that?!" Yuan threw a punch at Zelos' face. Zelos managed to grab his arm and twist it against his chest, causing Yuan to grit his teeth in pain. He kicked at Zelos' shins, knocking him off balance enough to free his arm. "Adora is alive now, and there's no way I'm letting _anything_ take her from me again! Least of all _YOU_!"

Zelos nearly fell over as his legs were kicked out from under him, and he grabbed the edge of a window sill to steady himself. Turning the momentum from his fall back around, he lunged at Yuan, fist closed and ready to strike. "You're just _JEALOUS_ that I've been a better father to her than you _EVER WERE_!"

Zelos' punch managed to find its mark along the back of Yuan's head, and he blundered into the wall from the force of it. Zelos descended on him in an instant, but that only gave Yuan the opportunity to thrust and uppercut against Zelos' jaw. It sent Zelos back a few steps, and Yuan moved to close the gap again.

" _YOU_ , a _FATHER_? How _dare_ you call yourself that? You could never understand the feelings a father has for his child-"

Zelos caught the fist that Yuan had thrown at him and used his grip to shove Yuan back towards the wall. Yuan let out a gasp as his back hit the wall and he lost his breath, unable to finish his sentence. Zelos wasted no time shooting back a rebuttal.

"Maybe you're RIGHT. Maybe I don't know how a father should feel- but that's only because _MY_ father felt nothing for _ME_! He decided I wasn't his problem and _IGNORED_ me! Left other people to care for me because he didn't want to take RESPONSIBILITY! Now does that sound like someone _ELSE_ here?"

" _Stop it!_ "

Zelos was already in the middle of throwing a punch when it happened. It was too fast for even his sharp reflexes to kick in. By the time he felt the hands on his shoulders, his fist had already made contact. There was a sharp cracking noise, a thud, and then silence throughout the hallway as Zelos and Yuan stared in horror. Colette, meanwhile, picked herself up from the floor, brushing off her dress as though nothing had happened. She sniffled, but it wasn't enough to stop the stream of blood draining from her nose, so she used one hand to pinch her nostrils and gestured to Zelos and Yuan with the other.

"Stop. This. If you want to hit someone, hit me. But if you wouldn't do that, then don't hit each other. You both care for Adora, don't you? Why are you fighting if you feel the same way?"

Yuan was silent, his breath still shaky as he stared into Colette's fiery expression. Zelos was horrified, caught looking back and forth between Colette and the fist he'd hit her with, a shaky "... _Colette_ …" the only thing able to escape from his lips.

"I care about Adora too. And that's why I want her to be with a family who cherishes her and does everything they can for her. Yuan, are you willing to be that family for her?"

"Of course," Yuan choked out, his expression stern. "I _never_ want to see her suffer again. I'll do my damnedest to give her the life she deserves. That, you can count on."

Colette stared him down. Finally, she spoke, taking her fingers off her nose.

"Let him go, Zelos. We knew from the start that Adora didn't belong with us. She needs to be with Yuan."

Zelos didn't offer a reply. He was silent as he watched Yuan stagger to his feet and accept Colette's help returning to the entryway. She called for Sebastian to get Yuan's coat, and he appeared within a few moments with both the coat and a handkerchief for Colette to wipe her bloodied nose. Yuan left without a word, and Colette said nothing to him. She simply waited until the door was closed and then turned back down the hallway to deal with Zelos. He looked up, hearing her return, and spoke quietly.

"...I… guess he won't be buying us dinner after all. Shall we go see what the chefs are making for Seles?"

Colette shook her head. "I'm not hungry," she said, turning back around as though she'd only wanted to make sure he was alright. "I'm going to find Miss Veronica to do something about my nose."

Zelos found himself unable to move until she was already at the staircase. He snapped out of his confusion and ran to the base of the stairs, calling up to her frantically.

" _Colette, I'm so sorry!_ "

Maybe she was just in a hurry to stop her nose from bleeding, but she didn't even take the time to answer.

And maybe it was just from the pain, but Zelos noticed that as she disappeared from view, she was crying.


	25. Chapter 25

I'm sorry for the delay with this chapter. I was busy with moving and such, but I'm back on track with the update schedule now. As per usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 23**  
 _'S math an sgathan suil caraid_.  
A friend's eye is a good mirror.

 **25-**

The one thing Zelos didn't consider when looking for dinner was the fact that he'd been punched in the _jaw._ Sebastian brought him some of the pork roast that had been prepared for Seles, but Zelos could barely get through the first bite. He bashfully sent it back with a request for something softer, and Sebastian obliged without comment. He was always good at not adding insult to injury.

Zelos was sitting alone at the dinner table, finishing up a bowl of minestrone soup when Veronica found him. He wasn't interested in initiating a conversation, but he couldn't rightly avoid her once she started speaking to him.

"Zelos, dear, are you alright? Colette said that your jaw was hurt, and I wanted to check on you."

Zelos kept his eyes on his soup. "My jaw is fine. Don't worry about me."

"If it were really fine, would you be eating two-day-old soup instead of freshly roasted pork?"

Damn. She knew. "I just wasn't in the mood for pork tonight, is all," he defended.

Veronica sat down next to him. "Are you sure? That bruise on your face seems to say otherwise."

Zelos stiffened and one hand flew to the side of his face. "Is it that bad?"

"The entire left half of your chin is purple, sweetie."

" _SEBASTIAN_!"

At the sound of Zelos' voice, Sebastian appeared in the doorway of the dining room. "Yes, Master Zelos?" he asked, more pleasantly than he had any right to as far as Zelos was concerned.

"Why didn't you tell me that my jaw was all bruised?" Zelos demanded. "How long were you going to wait to say something?"

"I was waiting until the emotional turmoil of the conflict had subsided, Master Zelos. I know how you hate to have your appearance criticized while you're brooding over something. And I know that purple is… how did you put it... _not your color_."

Zelos sighed in defeat. "Right on both accounts. Thank you, Sebastian. You're dismissed for the evening."

As Sebastian disappeared back into the hallway, Veronica reached out to place a comforting hand on Zelos' arm. Her hands were wrinkled prematurely, her fingers long and bony, and yet Zelos felt surprisingly content with her presence. He couldn't find the heart to be upset with someone who was trying so hard for Seles. Gathering up the courage to speak again, Zelos finally asked about Colette.

"It's broken, isn't it?"

"Pardon?" Veronica looked up at him.

"Colette's nose," Zelos repeated. "I broke it, didn't I?"

She offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry so much. The fracture was restricted to the nasal bones, so there's no damage to the nasal septum. I've stopped the bleeding and provided her with some ice to reduce the swelling before I cast any spells. Colette was more worried about _you_."

Zelos groaned. "That's just like her, dammit. Why can't she worry about herself for once? For gods' sakes, I punched her in the face! She should be livid at me right now."

Veronica didn't move. "She said it was an accident."

"I mean, it was an accident that I hit Colette, but it definitely wasn't an accident that I threw the punch. That was on purpose."

"I see. Did the intended recipient have it coming?"

Zelos flashed her a glare. "You know he did."

"Then why did Colette step in?"

"Because she's _Colette_. And apparently fighting is the wrong way to handle our issues, and everything can be worked out by _talking about our feelings_."

It might've just been the tone of his voice, but something about his statement made Veronica chuckle. "Well, as a medical professional, I can certainly say that it's safer for your health to talk things out rather than, well, punching someone out."

"But not nearly as satisfying," Zelos replied.

"Perhaps not."

They were quiet for another few minutes as Zelos finished his soup. Veronica watched him, and once he finished, she cleared her throat and spoke again.

"Master Zelos, it may be overstepping my bounds, but may I say something?"

He glanced over at her and shrugged. "Sure. What is it?"

"You are usually such an easygoing, well-collected man, and yet… you seem to have quite a temper as far as people you care about are concerned- Mistress Seles, Mistress Colette, and now little Adora."

Zelos felt his cheeks flush. "If you're going to recommend anger management, I'm afraid I really don't have the time-"

"Oh, no no! That's not what I was saying at all." Veronica shook her head. "I know you're too smart to let your temper get the better of you. I was just commenting on the great amount of care you hold for the people dear to you. I admire that about you. So many men these days are too reserved and cold. You _care_. And while some people may consider that a weakness, I believe it's a special strength."

Zelos' expression lightened as she spoke, his frown turning up into an almost-confused smile. "Gee, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were praising me for picking a fight with Yuan. That's unexpected coming from you."

She smiled and shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't say who was right or wrong. That's between you, Colette, and Yuan. What I can say is that I'm here for you if you ever need me. I'll be here to support you no matter what happens."

Zelos let out a nervous laugh. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't expect you to go out of your way. You're really Seles' employee, not mine-"

"That's true. I understand. But I want to assure you that, if something were to happen to Mistress Seles, I will still be here for you and Mistress Colette. That, you can count on."

Her voice was confident, but the words she was using gave Zelos a bad feeling. "Are you… are you saying that something might happen to Seles?"

"What? Oh, no! That's not what I was saying at all! I was merely trying to assure you that my loyalty to you isn't simply dependent on Seles. I promise, I'd tell you if I had any immediate doubts about Seles' health or prognosis."

Zelos looked away. He didn't want to express distrust in her after all she'd just said, but something about her body language made it feel like she was withholding something. He opened his mouth to ask exactly what made her so sure of Seles' stability, but he didn't manage to get it out before he was cut off by a voice from the doorway.

"Um, is Zelos here?"

Colette peeked her head into the doorway and waved with one hand- her other hand was holding the bag of ice over the bridge of her nose. Zelos cringed at the sight of the ice and Veronica stood up with a gasp.

"I'm sorry, Colette! I didn't mean to leave you-"

"It's okay." Colette sat down directly across the table from Zelos and took the bag of ice off her nose. He was afraid to see how it was, but rather than some redness, it didn't look too bad. Probably better than his jaw looked, at least. "I wanted to talk to Zelos."

"I hope you're here to get back at me," Zelos offered, pushing the empty soup bowl to the side. "I could use a punch in the nose to get my mind off this bruised jaw."

"That, uh, doesn't seem like the best way to take your mind off of it." Colette giggled as though it were a joke, though Zelos had been completely serious. "Actually, I wanted to apologize to you."

Zelos groaned and dropped his head onto the table. "Here we go again. I punch you in the face and _you_ apologize for it. Sometimes I wonder how much I could get away with before y-"

" _No_ , that's not what I'm apologizing for," Colette interrupted. "I expect you to apologize for the punch."

"Oh. Good. Because I'm really, _really_ sorry that I hurt you, and I can't believe that I-"

"Not to me. To Yuan. It was his nose you were trying to break."

Zelos sat up and banged a hand on his table. "Oh, come on! He was the one who started it!"

"That may be true, but I think Yuan was in the right." Colette reached across the table to grab Zelos' hand. "That's what I wanted to apologize for. I was so upset about what happened, I didn't take the time to explain what I was thinking. I should've stayed and told you why I said what I did."

That statement allowed Zelos a smile. "With all due respect, Colette, your nose was pouring blood. I think you were right to go straight to a nurse."

"I could've-" Colette began, but she let her voice trail off as she seemed to realize that she didn't have an argument. "...well, I guess you're right. But that's not what I need to tell you. I just wanted to explain to you why I made the decision that I did. I feel like I owe you that much."

"You don't owe me anything, but I'll bite." Zelos shrugged. "Why do you believe so strongly that Adora belongs with Yuan?"

She didn't even stop to think over the question. "Because he's her father."

Zelos crossed his arms and turned away. "I just don't think a child should be left with someone for the sole reason that he's her blood father."

"I don't either," Colette replied. "I believe Adora belongs with Yuan because he _loves_ her."

"But you just said-"

"Yuan said something interesting to me the other night, though," she continued, cutting Zelos off. "He said that people are capable of doing horrible things out of love, and that it doesn't excuse their actions. I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but now..."

"I see. He really does feel guilty about it."

"More than that, he doesn't pretend that his love for her makes him somehow a perfect father. He's willing to admit that he's made mistakes and is trying to improve. You saw how acted tonight. He's devoted to her." Colette closed her eyes and sat back in her chair with a sigh. "I was raised by a father who was devoted to me even though he thought I wasn't his. Lloyd was raised by a father who was devoted to him even though he _knew_ Lloyd wasn't his. It's not blood relation that makes a father, it's the love that he holds for his child. Yuan just happens to have both."

Zelos was quiet. He looked down at the table, trying to figure out what to say next. There wasn't much he could say, outside of acknowledging that she was right. If it was Colette, he could do that. But saying that would also be acknowledging that _Yuan_ was right, and the thought still rubbed him the wrong way.

"If it helps," Colette spoke up again, "Kratos said the same thing about Yuan last night when we talked. You know that if _Kratos_ is defending Yuan, he really means it."

Zelos groaned. "Man, now I've gotta defer to _Kratos_ as well as Yuan? Why don't you just punch me in the face like I asked? It'd hurt less."

" _Zelos_." Colette sent him a pointed stare that was almost cute when you considered that it was the closest thing to a glare that she could muster. "Just because Adora belongs with Yuan doesn't mean you didn't do a good job of taking care of her. You did a great job. You're going to be a _wonderful_ father someday. But we knew at the beginning of this whole charade that Adora couldn't stay with us- you said it yourself, even. We accomplished what we wanted to do, which was to reunite her with her family. And it's not like we'll never see her again. All we have to do is go down to the pottery shop and pay a visit. Alright?"

There was a short period of silence.

"Did you say all that to comfort me," Zelos began, having noticed a hint of tears behind her eyes, "or to reassure yourself?"

Colette blushed and smiled, wiping her eyes. "What's that old saying about killing two birds with one stone?"

"Oh, _Colette_." Zelos stood up, leaning over the table and wrapping his arms around her shoulders. He leaned in for a kiss, but at the same time, his nose bumped against Colette's and the pursing of his lips caused a sharp twinge of pain in his jaw. Both of them jerked backwards.

" _OW!_ "

Veronica stepped in, suppressing a giggle. "Here, allow me-"

She'd almost made it to Colette's side when the sound of Sebastian's voice from outside the door cut them off. "Master Zelos? I was taking my leave for the evening, but I wanted to let you know that your friends have returned."

"Which friends?" Zelos called back.

"All of them. It seems they met up and walked together."

Zelos groaned. "Great. Now we have everybody together to freak out about your broken nose…"

"It's okay!" Colette tried to reassure him as she picked up the bag of half-melted ice. "All you have to do is smile and say everything's alright."

"I'm pretty sure they've learned not to fall for that by now, Colette."

She just giggled and shot him a wink.

"You'd be surprised."

* * *

"Hey, you guys!" Colette ran to greet them, waving with her free hand. All their eyes were on the bag of ice she had over her nose, however- and, of course, the bruise all over Zelos' chin as well.

"Wh-what _happened_ to you guys?!" Genis spluttered. He shrugged his coat off, tossing it onto the coat rack with Nika's and rushing to Colette's side.

"Don't worry about us," Colette assured him. "We're fine-"

"You are _not_ fine!" Sheena pushed through the group to get to the couple. She grabbed Zelos by the collar and tugged him down so that she could look him in the eyes. "What did you do, Zelos?"

"Wh-why are you assuming it's my fault? I'm hurt too, you know!"

"Because I know that you're most likely the one who started it."

"Hey!"

Colette took Genis' hand and pushed her way between Zelos and Sheena. "Now, now. Whether or not Zelos started it isn't the issue. Everything's okay now, so let's not worry-"

"So you _did_ start it!"

"I'm telling you, it wasn't my fault-"

Meanwhile, the rest of the group tried to ignore the argument. Nika helped Bianca with her coat while Lloyd helped the girl take off her mittens.

"Thank you, Mister Lloyd," she said with a smile. "If you want, I can help you with your gloves too!"

"Oh, would you? Be careful now- these are my favorite gloves. My dad made them for me." Lloyd offered his hands and let her tug the gloves off. She held them up proudly and then offered them back.

"They're nice. Your dad makes good clothes."

"Well, of course he does. Dwarves are good at making everything!" Lloyd beamed, and then turned to Raine. "Professor? We can help with your coat and gloves, if you like-"

"N-no, no!" Raine cut them off. "I'll, uh, just leave my coat here. My hands are still cold. And what was this I heard about Zelos and Colette getting hurt?"

They watched Raine as she pushed through the crowd, offering healing spells to Colette and giving Zelos a good scolding. Lloyd sighed and moved to help Colette, while Nika waved at Genis and started upstairs with Bianca in tow. It took a few minutes, but the combined efforts of Raine and Veronica quickly mitigated the damage and left both Zelos and Colette with little to show for their earlier altercation. Once they were sure that Colette was alright, they let her retreat to the dining room to eat before everyone gathered to help with the speech. Lloyd and Sheena went with her, and Genis and Raine headed upstairs to their room. Soon it was only Zelos and Veronica left, and while he wanted to get to the dining room to join the others, he was still uneasy about what she'd said before.

Zelos watched her approach the stairs and took a deep breath. She had promised, hadn't she?

"...Veronica?"

"Yes?"

Zelos paused.

"You promised to tell me if something was wrong with Seles. Are you _sure_ she's alright?"

Veronica stopped at the base of the staircase. "She's fine, Master Zelos. If I were you, I'd worry more about your own problems."

"My own…?" He began, but before he could finish, she had already disappeared up the staircase.

* * *

Genis stepped into the room first, and he was surprised to hear Raine close the door behind them. On the way home, she'd asked him if they could have a talk, and of course he'd agreed. She'd sounded a little nervous, so he didn't want to pry with their friends around, but he hadn't realised that what she wanted to talk about would be so private as to warrant a closed door. Suddenly a little nervous too, he sat down on his bed and turned to face her.

"So, what's going on? What did you need to talk to me about?"

Raine sat down across from him, fidgeting with her gloves. "I… need to tell you something. After everything that's happened, it's important to me that you be the first to know."

"The first to-" Genis began to ask, but he was cut off as she removed her left glove and spoke again.

"Professor Low asked me to marry her and I said _yes._ "

Genis stared, mouth agape. He wasn't sure whether he was surprised more by the news or the ring itself. _Wow, that was a fancy ring_!

"Really? That's-"

"We're eloping tomorrow. We'll spend the rest of the festival time on a short honeymoon near Asgard before returning to work in Palmacosta. Todd has it all planned out."

Genis had to take another few moments to gain his composure before he could reply. He had to admit, this wasn't something he'd expected, but he was happier than anything that she'd come to him first. It felt like whatever rift had formed between them was healing.

"Raine, that's… that's _amazing_! I'm _so_ happy for you!" He jumped up and ran to hug his sister, practically lifting her off of her bed as he did so. It wasn't in his nature to be clingy, but he couldn't resist. Not with something like this. "Thank you for telling me. This is wonderful!"

"R-really? Wonderful?" As Genis stepped away, Raine looked up at him, wide-eyed. "I didn't expect you to- er, I mean… after the reaction you had to finding out about _us_ , I thought you'd be furious. I didn't expect your support for this right away."

Genis blushed a little. "I'm sorry to make you think that. I wasn't angry about the two of you being together, I was just angry that you never told me. Actually, I think you two are great for each other. You promised to be honest with me in the future, and you've kept that promise. How could I not be happy for you, Raine? You're in love! You're getting married! I couldn't be more thrilled!"

Raine seemed to choke up a little at his words, and Genis felt a wave of nervousness. Oh, she'd better not start crying, because then he would end up crying too, and he did _not_ want Zelos to see him with a tear-stained face.

"You're right, Genis, I… I should've had more faith in you…" Raine began, glancing around the room rather than looking at him. "I was honestly afraid that you'd disapprove. It's all happened so fast, I was afraid that you'd scold me or even try to talk me out of it. Thank you for… being supportive."

Genis reached for her hands. "Of course I'd be supportive, Raine! There's no way I'd try to talk you out of something you feel so strongly abou-" He stopped his own hands just a few centimeters from hers, a sense of unease gnawing at his subconscious. His sister's emotions were something he'd learned to read through years of experience, and something about the way she'd spoken indicated there was more to her assumptions than simply that. "...unless…" he began again, "...you _want_ me to talk you out of it."

There was a pause. A look of recognition appeared briefly on Raine's face, and she bowed her head so that her hair was hiding her eyes. "That's not necessarily… I mean… I was just…"

Her stammering might've sounded nonsensical to someone else, but to Genis it was almost as clear as a direct statement.

"You don't want to marry her, do you?"

"That's not exactly it! I-I _do_ , I mean, I _would_! It's just that this is so sudden, so soon." With Genis' statement, it was as if she'd been given permission to speak her mind. She stood up and began pacing back and forth as she spoke, fidgeting with her ring. "I mean, I met her only a few months ago. Sure, it was love at first sight, but… no, no, it was more like unresolved-sexual-tension at first sight and it took us weeks to even acknowledge it. Then we spent the first month saying ' _this is the last time, I swear_ ' every single time, until eventually-"

Genis held up a hand. "Raine, I don't need a play-by-play. I believe you."

"It's just- ugh! I don't know what to do!" She pulled the ring off of her finger and held it in her fist as she climbed back onto the bed. Lying back onto the pillow, Raine held the ring up to the light to examine it as she continued. "I couldn't say no. Not when she'd gone to all the trouble to plan and to get this ring- I mean, this looks like it's worth more money than _I_ am! How can I admit to her that I'm not ready when she so clearly _is_? But I really do love her and I don't want to ruin our future by making a commitment before I'm ready! What about our work? What about our public appearance? If we have to hide our marriage the way we've been hiding our relationship, will that put even more strain on us? On the project? I can't-"

"Listen. I think you need to calm down for a minute and think rationally about this."

Raine lowered her hands and pulled herself to a seated position again. "I'm calm. I'm calm."

"Good. Now let's go through this one problem at a time. Do you love Professor Low?"

"Yes, I do."

"Do you want to marry her?"

That one gave Raine pause. "I, uh-"

"Let me rephrase that. Do you want to marry Professor Low _tomorrow_?"

Now she was able to answer.

"No. No, I don't."

Genis gave a nod. "Then you need to tell her that. Be honest."

"But…" Raine glanced away. "...she was so happy when I said yes. I don't want to make her sad if I-"

"Raine, _stop._ Listen to me." Genis moved over to sit down beside her. "I'll be honest with you- I was kind of afraid you'd never be able to find a relationship like this. When I was a kid, I tried so hard to hide your, _uh_ , obsessive nature. I thought that, when people found out, they'd think you were strange or weird-"

He cut off as Raine grabbed onto his ear- _tightly_.

"- _ow, ow, ow!_ I'm getting to the point, just be patient!" Genis managed to pull his head away, rubbing his ear in pain. "The thing is, when we went on the journey of regeneration with Colette, everybody got to see the way you reacted to the temples and seals. And it turned out, they didn't care. Lloyd and Colette were a little surprised, but it didn't change the way they thought about you. That's when I realized that, if someone truly cares about you, they understand what makes you _you_ and appreciate that as an essential part of you. Professor Low has seen you in the field, she's seen you in the lab, she's seen the way you work when you're under pressure and stressed… face it, Raine, she's seen you at your worst-"

Once again, he found his ear caught.

"Ow, _OW!_ Raine, what I'm saying is, after all that, she still wants to marry you. She's seen the parts of you that even _I_ can't bear sometimes, and still decided that she wants to spend the rest of her life with you. And maybe she's jumping into this prematurely, but that's just because she's so passionate. So when you're honest with how you feel, she'll understand. Now, will you let go of my ear?"

Raine sighed and let go. "Since when did you become the one to give me advice?"

"The student inevitably becomes the teacher, Raine."

"Oh, don't play that with me," Raine managed a smile and hit Genis with a pillow. "I still have a _lot_ to teach you."

Genis leaned away, holding up his hands to defend himself. "Hey, now! If you want to teach somebody, why don't you go teach Zelos how to write a proper speech? Everybody's waiting for us, after all."

"Well, I suppose I should." Raine set the pillow down and raised up on her knees to give Genis an encouraging pat on the head. "In the meantime, I'll leave my ring here. It's… too valuable to flaunt around, after all."

Genis grinned. "That's good to hear… though I kind of want you to flaunt it in front of Zelos. It makes the diamond he gave Colette look like-"

" _Genis_."

"Fine, fine. But I wanna be there to see his face when you finally do show him-"

" _Genis!_ "


	26. Chapter 26

As I prepared to do a final edit of this today, I came to the realization- "is this the chapter?" Yes. This is the chapter. As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy.

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 53**  
 _Chan eil saoi air nach laigh leòn._  
No hero is proof against injury.

 **26-**

"There you two are! What were you talking about all this time? Some juicy gossip?"

As soon as Genis and Raine arrived in the dining room, Zelos hovered around them asking questions about their absence. Genis kept his mouth shut, not sure how much Raine would want him to say, but she seemed to have no qualms about defending their little chat.

"Oh, yes, the _juiciest_ of gossip." Raine shot back with a roll of her eyes. "All about my _exciting_ evening with Professor Low."

Zelos' eyes lit up. "Ooooh! Do tell!"

Raine shook her head. "Hmph. As if I'd tell you about all the fun we had babysitting Bianca."

"Aw, you _tease_!" Zelos elbowed her and sat back down. "But you're surely not here to dangle stories of preteen playtime over our heads. We're writing a speech here, and I think that maybe- _possibly_ \- you can help us out."

Lloyd sat up on his knees and leaned over the table. "C'mon, c'mon, read her what you have so far!"

Seles shook her head. "It's derivative, Lloyd. We were just playing around."

"But it's _good_!"

Zelos sighed and cleared his throat. "Friends, Tethe'allans, Sylvarantis, lend me your ears. I come to bury the Chosen, not to praise him. The evil men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones-"

Genis broke in before he could get too far. "Okay, but seriously. What have you got?"

"What, you don't like my tasteful parody? Or would you prefer a Homeric reference instead?"

"I think," Sheena responded, "he would prefer you take this seriously. We don't have a lot of time, you know."

Zelos waved a hand dismissively. "Okay, okay, I was just having a little fun. I'm taking this seriously now, I promise."

"Then perhaps we should start with the body of the speech," Raine leaned forward in her chair, taking a piece of paper from the stack in the middle of the table. "I find that the best way to compose any piece of work is by beginning in the middle. You should figure out the main points you want to make with your speech, structure the body, and then worry about introductions and conclusions."

"She's right," Colette nodded. "That's how I teach my kids to plan their book reports. Three body paragraphs, an introduction, and a conclusion."

"Good," Seles murmured, "however, I think it might be better if a public speech is on a higher level than a fourth-grade book report."

"Actually, Colette's right. The techniques they teach you in fourth-grade composition do apply on a much larger scale," Zelos offered. "I've already thought up my three main points as well. One, I want to say that the reunion of the worlds isn't some event that happened five years ago, it's a process that's still going on today… _inside our hearts_ , if you will."

"A horribly corny way to put it," Genis muttered, "but a good point nonetheless. The cultural and ideological rifts between Sylvarant and Tethe'alla will never be reconciled if we never acknowledge them."

"Two," Zelos continued, "when it comes to matters of science and mana, the most important thing is getting the information yourself and making your own decisions. People shouldn't let others make decisions for them. Does that sound fair?"

"I think so," Lloyd nodded.

"That's what we want," Raine agreed. "Rational thought and critical analysis is all any scientist can ask for in the public. It's how science advances."

Colette leaned over the table, nudging Zelos' shoulder. "And the third one is about being the Chosen, right? Your _real_ thoughts on it, I mean."

"That's my hunny! Right as always." Zelos sent an affectionate nudge back in Colette's direction, trying to ignore the fact that Genis was rolling his eyes at them. "Point number three will be, the Chosen is _dead_."

Seles coughed, Colette made a high-pitched noise and flinched, and the rest of the group stared wide-eyed. Lloyd reached out tentatively. "Wh-what?"

"Guys, don't look so morbid! It's a figure of speech. I'm just saying that the _concept_ of the Chosen is dead now that the worlds are united and there's no need for the journey of regeneration." Zelos laughed and leaned back in his chair, picking up the front legs of his chair so that he could rock it back and forth. "Being a little overdramatic is what the people want. What's wrong with a few hyperboles? All great public figures do it."

Colette fidgeted with her hands. "I can't speak for everyone else, but it makes me uncomfortable when you say such… _foreboding_ things."

"Foreboding? What's so foreboding about-" Zelos began, but he cut himself off. "Ah, right. _Death_. Yeah, I guess the concept is a little off-putting."

"Honestly, brother," Seles scoffed, "there isn't one person here who wants to imagine your death."

"It's not like I'm gonna die, sis-"

"Perhaps not," Raine broke in, "but the situation isn't one in which we can speak so casually. You're going to be addressing a group of people who are in conflict not only between each other, but likely within themselves. There are people like the Church of Mana and Dr. Watson who are determined to use violence to get what they want. I recently heard that there are two political criminals on the run somewhere in Meltokio, and that alone is cause for concern."

"Huh? How do you know about Dr. Watson?" Lloyd asked, shifting in his seat so that he was leaning closer to Raine. "That's the guy who burned the docks and bridges at Lake Sinoa, isn't it?"

"Did he really?" Genis gasped. "He planted a dry ice bomb on the marina in Palmacosta too! Apparently he'd been sending threatening letters to the marina owner."

"Yeah, the dock manager in Luin said that he'd been getting similar letters," Sheena nodded her head. "Kratos took one of the letters to the authorities here in Meltokio for analysis. It must be the same person. J.H. Watson, right?"

Zelos's expression turned serious again. "J.H. Watson? That name sounds familiar. I heard it from some of the Lezareno shareholders who tried to back out when Regal said he'd fund the Alpha-Beta project should government funding be revoked. They all received threatening letters telling them to comply with Lezareno's decision, or _else_. I think Regal convinced them, so there was no violent retaliation, but…" He let his voice trail off.

Raine, meanwhile, buried her face in her hand. " _No, no, no._ Don't tell me this maniac's influence runs all over. He's sullying the name of scientific progress. The conclusions of peer-reviewed publications should speak for themselves. If someone's coercing the general public into believing it, it's just as bad as the superstitious drivel that this _Church of Mana_ group is spreading."

Colette leaned closer to Zelos, grabbing onto his arm. "I didn't know about any of this. Do you think the celebration will be safe? I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Don't worry so much, Colette." Zelos tapped her on the shoulder. "This is why I'm trying to stay neutral in my speech. I can't tell other people what to think. And maybe, if this Watson guy or these Church of Mana crazies hear _me_ say it, they'll take it to heart."

Sheena crossed her arms. "I don't think these people are the kind to be influenced by whatever the Chosen says."

"Ah-ah-ah. Point three. I'm not the Chosen anymore, remember?"

Colette clapped her hands. "Right! I just had an idea- something you can say instead of the whole _the chosen is dead_ sort of thing."

"Oh? What's that?" Lloyd asked.

"Well… if you think about it this way, when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, it isn't a caterpillar anymore. But that doesn't mean it's dead, it just means that it's left its old identity behind and turned into something else. Something better, in my opinion. So maybe you're not the Chosen anymore, but that doesn't mean you're not someone special. That's what I think."

There was a brief moment of silence as the group stared at her. Zelos' cheeks turned slightly redder, and he started to say something along the lines of " _that's beautiful, but-_ " before being cut off by Raine.

"Colette, that's genius! I'll write that down!"

"Oh yes." A smirk appeared on Seles' face. "I can't _wait_ to hear my brother tell everyone in Meltokio what a beautiful butterfly he is."

Zelos elbowed her. "Oh yeah? Well, I'll have you know that I'm not just a beautiful butterfly, I'm the _most beautiful butterfly!_ "

"Most… beautiful… butterfly…" Raine spoke as she wrote the words. "Alright, sounds good. What else?"

That question seemed to be just what the group needed to kickstart their creativity. Within the next few minutes, everyone was putting forth ideas. It was a barrage of ideas, statements, and metaphors. Zelos struggled to gain control of the whole thing, but he gave up after a short amount of time, seeing his friends having so much fun. He had the final say in, well, what he was going to _say_. It wouldn't hurt to make use of their enthusiasm.

Within a few hours they had strung together the ideas to make a speech that everyone was at least mostly satisfied with. Lloyd fell asleep several times at the table, but Colette had diligently woken him each time, and he was the most excited about the final product in the end. Even Zelos admitted that it was better than what he might've come up with on his own.

Seles, who had struggled to stay awake some at the end, was the first to excuse herself to get some sleep. Colette and Zelos offered to walk her back to her room, and Genis and Raine went back to their room as well. Sheena and Lloyd stayed a few minutes more only because Lloyd was in the middle of drawing a picture and refused to go to sleep until he finished. Sheena stayed to keep him company, and stood beside his chair as he finished up.

"So what exactly is it supposed to be?" she finally asked.

"What does it look like?"

"To be completely honest? Abstract art."

Lloyd groaned and set his pencil down. "It's my idea for the stage decorations tomorrow. I thought these kinds of flowers and streamers would look best."

"You know they've already set up the decorations in advance, right Lloyd?"

"...yeah. Genis told me _after_ I'd already started." Lloyd stood up and pushed his chair back into the table. "I just can't stop drawing in the middle of an idea, though, you know? Maybe I'll use it to decorate for Dad's birthday next month. Can you believe he won't tell me how old he's turning? I know Dwarves can live to be, like, a _thousand_ , so there's no way he's that old! I wonder if he's just trying to be difficult…"

Lloyd continued to talk as the two of them walked up the stairs to the hallway where the guest rooms were. They stopped outside of Lloyd's room to finish their conversation, and once they had, Lloyd offered Sheena a good-night hug that was so tight, she was surprised she didn't break a rib. She started back down the hallway toward her own room, but stopped before she got too far.

"Hey, Lloyd?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"I just wanted to ask- tomorrow, after the ceremony and speeches and stuff… can we talk? Y'know, just you and me. I had some things I wanted to ask you."

Lloyd frowned, but nodded his head. "I'd love to talk with you. But what's this about? Is it something bad?"

"N-no, no! Not at all! I just wanted to discuss some things. Like, about Sylvarant culture and how it differs from Mizuho culture. I just think it's really interesting, and I'd like to talk about things… _one on one_ with you."

Lloyd's expression lit up. "That sounds really cool, actually! Do you want to talk some now? We'd probably have more privacy here than we'd have tomorrow-"

A voice down the hall interrupted them, and the two turned around to see Zelos peeking his head around the corner. "Hey," he called, "if you need a little extra privacy, just put a sock on the doorknob. All the servants know what it means."

He disappeared around the corner again as soon as he'd appeared, but Sheena wasn't going to let him get away. "ZELOS, YOU EAVESDROPPING PERVERT! GET BACK HERE!" She started down the hallway and paused only once to look back at Lloyd. "We'll talk tomorrow, okay?" she offered with a wave. "Good night."

"Good night!" Lloyd waved with a laugh. Part of him was curious to see what Sheena was going to do to Zelos, but he figured he could always ask her tomorrow. They had all the time in the world, after all.

* * *

Yuan had never seen crowds that size on Southwest Boulevard. It was a shame that businesses were to be closed for the holiday- he was sure that their little ceramics business would make a nice profit if they were to advertise their wares to all these newcomers. Song would be happy that people liked his work, and it wouldn't hurt to have a little extra money now that the household had another mouth to feed.

The fight with Zelos was still fresh in his mind from the night before, and he was still trying to get over it. He would _never_ admit that something Zelos said had gotten to him, but… well, he was trying to take extra care not to let Adora out of his sight today. Song had offered to watch her while Yuan went out to buy a newspaper, but Yuan had insisted on taking her along. He was glad he'd done so, partially because the usual stand where he bought them was sold out and he had to walk all the way down to 10th Street to find one, but also because she helped him move more easily through the crowd. People generally made way for a man with a baby in tow.

Yuan made it back to the apartment with the news, expecting to find Song and his female friend- _what was her name? Margie, or something?_ \- cooking breakfast. But when he made it up the stairs, the kitchen was empty. Puzzled, Yuan set the newspaper down on the table and peeked into the next room.

"Hey Song? What's going o-" He stopped as he made eye contact with a visitor he hadn't expected to see. "...Anna? What are you doing here?"

Song's male patient was still occupying the couch, and his sister was sitting on the arm beside him. Anna, meanwhile, was in the chair across from them with Song standing over her and watching her as she drank tea.

"Oh, hi, Yuan! Hi, Adora!" Anna waved, a pleasant smile on her face. "How are you? It's pretty crazy out there, right? And we're not even in the middle of the action here- I'd like to see how many people are already gathering in the main square!"

Yuan stared, not even fully processing what she said. "...I thought you and Kratos were working today. What are you doing here?"

"Hey, now!" The man on the couch propped himself up on his elbows. "That's not a very nice way to speak to your guest."

"Didn't she break your nose and knock you out the other day?"

The man turned his head away. "I just startled her, is all. I admire a girl who can defend herself."

Anna giggled. "It's okay, Felix. He's right to be confused. I _am_ on duty. Kratos gave me the special assignment of keeping an eye on the political fugitives to make sure they don't get involved in anything suspicious."

" _Excuse me?_ After I just said I admired you-? _"_

"She got sick while on patrol this morning," Song interrupted, stepping in front of her chair to make sure Felix couldn't get to her. "Kratos ordered her to take the day off and asked me to look after her."

Anna pouted. "I'm not sick, I swear! Kratos is just overreacting, like usual."

"You threw up all over his uniform, Anna."

"That was an _accident_! And he has plenty of backup uniforms-" She cut off her defense as she caught sight of Yuan covering his mouth with his free hand. He was trying to make it look like he was sickened by the thought, but he couldn't quite manage to hide his laughter.

"Oh gods, the high-and-mighty Captain Kratos… by one of his own soldiers… if only I could've been there." He managed to control his laughter and steady his words. "I have a weak stomach, but I'd risk it just to have seen the look on his face."

"Mister Yuan!" Margie stood up from her spot on the arm of the couch. "She's not feeling well! Show some respect, will you?"

At that statement, Yuan allowed himself to laugh openly. " _Her_? Oh yeah, she looks _so_ sick. So long as you keep her out of the kitchen and away from any of Adora's things, I really couldn't care less. It's probably her own fault for scarfing raw cookie dough or something." He started to walk back down the hallway so that he could put Adora down for a nap, but Anna called after him.

"I appreciate the concern for my well-being, but I'm not contagious. You don't have to worry about Adora."

Yuan stopped halfway to his room and took a few steps back. "What are you talking about? It sounds like a typical foodborne illness to me. How are you not contagious if you're-"

 _Wait a minute_.

Yuan stepped completely back into the room, narrowing his eyes. "You're not even a real human. You were created by an exsphere. You can't be-"

He didn't get to finish. Adora began to whine and squirm, and he had to pay attention to her instead. As he did so, Anna took the opportunity to reply.

"I won't be told what I can and can't do by somebody who doesn't even understand how exspheres work. They're _made_ of humans, you moron. Of course I'm a real human."

"I _know_ how exspheres work! I just-" With a sigh of resignation, Yuan shook his head and started back down the hallway. "You know what? Fine. You and Kratos can singlehandedly populate the newly-united world if you want to. I don't care. I have hit my limit on caring about things by this point."

The sound of Yuan's door slamming caused Song to jump. He glanced down the hallway, and then back at the rest of the group. "So, uh…" he began with a nervous laugh, "...who wants breakfast?"

* * *

Most of the group was happy to accompany Zelos on stage- as "bodyguards," he told questioning authorities- but Raine had promised to watch the speech with Professor Low in the audience. This was partially so that the two of them could discreetly slip away once the ceremony was over, but Genis was the only one Raine had told of that plan. She hoped, however, that she'd have the nerve to speak her feelings. _Postpone._ That was the word she was going to use. She would ask Professor Low to _postpone_ the wedding. Surely there'd be no hard feelings if she put it that way, right?

"Raine, my love! You look positively splendid!" Professor Low located Raine and ran to her side, grabbing her right hand and pulling it to her lips with a kiss.

"T-Todd, people are staring." Raine blushed, glancing around. "What if someone recognizes us?"

"You're too used to small towns, Raine. Here in Meltokio, no one cares what anyone else is doing. If we can't be happy together on our wedding day, when can we?"

"...I-I suppose…" Raine found herself stammering, and shook her head. "Actually, um, I wanted to talk to you about that-"

The screech of a microphone system being hooked up and tested cut her off, and Professor Low pointed up at the stage.

"Oh, the opening remarks are starting. Can we discuss it afterward?"

"Yes, of course."

"Wonderful!" She smiled and squeezed Raine's hand. "I'll look forward to hearing what you have to say."

Meanwhile, Lloyd was getting chills, being up on stage. Much as he liked being praised, he wasn't the kind of person who liked being in the spotlight. Even dressed as elegantly as Zelos could outfit him, with his beautiful new sword on his back, he felt self-conscious. He tossed a glance across to where Sheena and Colette were standing, and the two gave him smiles that helped calm him down. This was Zelos and Colette's big day, after all. Lloyd couldn't let himself be nervous when it was his job to make sure it was as special as they deserved!

Once the opening remarks were finished, another official-looking person that Lloyd didn't recognize stepped up to introduce Zelos. Zelos stepped out onto the stage and walked up the the podium with Seles in tow. He tapped the microphone a couple of times to make sure that it was working, and then picked it up out of the stand and waved at the crowd with his free hand. It was an incredible response, the entire crowd cheering with thunderous enthusiasm. Zelos laughed and offered a "thank you, thank you!" before waiting for the commotion to die down. He briefly considered offering a wink in the general direction of the crowd, but he figured he should save it for afterward. For now, he had a speech to make.

"Alright, alright," Zelos finally began, "I think it's about time we get this party started, what do you think? Let me tell you, I've been working on this routine for months. And then yesterday... I decided to scrap it and start over. But isn't that a great realization- that you can always start over? There's always time to change. And change can be a really good thing. Like two worlds being united, for instance. _Or_ two people. Tell me, how many of you lucky people in the crowd are married or planning to be? Raise your hands!"

There was a thunderous cheer from the crowd, and hands flew up wildly. Lloyd could swear he saw someone toward the back that looked like Professor Low waving her hand around, but he wasn't sure, and figured he shouldn't think too much about it. He turned his attention back to Zelos, who had continued speaking by this point.

"It's so great to see all those wonderful partnerships out there. There's nothing quite like true love. Don't you think it's amazing when two individuals can put aside their differences and form a family together? That's why, here on the anniversary of the worlds' union, I want to start by publicly announcing my own upcoming union by introducing you all to my fiancee."

Zelos set the microphone back on the stand and ran over to Colette, grabbing her by the hand and stepping forward so that the two of them were at the edge of the stage.

"Some of you might know Colette Brunel as the Chosen of Sylvarant who helped reunite the worlds. But now-" He paused and winked at the crowd. "-I also want you to think of her as the beautiful, brilliant woman who made Zelos Wilder her trophy husband!"

There was a raucous applause in response to the statement, and Colette covered her mouth to suppress a giggle. " _Zelos_!" she whispered, her smile audible in her words. "That wasn't in the script!"

"Chill out, hunny," he whispered back as his lips brushed against her cheek. "Sometimes you gotta ad-lib. It keeps things natural."

Lloyd could see Sheena rolling her eyes and hear Genis groaning beside him, but he found the whole exchange charming. It seemed the crowd did too, because it took a great effort on Zelos' part to get them calmed down enough to begin his actual speech. But once he did, the silence was astounding for a crowd that size. Zelos' words seemed to have captivated them, and Lloyd couldn't focus on anything but listening to the speech as well.

"-the path to world reunion isn't fast, it isn't easy, and it isn't always linear. There will always be some form of conflict. But that's normal in any relationship. Last night, Colette and I had an argument about something we didn't see eye-to-eye about. But we didn't give up on everything we've worked for just because of some petty disagreement. We worked through it, just like we've done with conflicts in the past, and just like we'll do with conflicts in the future. And that's just what we as citizens of the united world need to do too."

He paused to allow the crowd to react, and began again once the cheers died down.

"Some differences have become very volatile as of late. Both religion and science have been called into question over these last few years, and people are looking for somewhere to turn. Large, influential groups are taking sides. The Lezareno Company has promised its commitment to scientific advancement. The village of Mizuho has placed priority on the safety and welfare of the people. It's hard to know where to turn. Like most people, I've been pressured to take a side. And, yes, I'm here to tell you all to do the same. But what I'm not here to do is tell you _which_ side to take."

There were some gasps and murmurs of dissent and confusion amongst the crowd. It caught Lloyd's attention, and he turned from looking at Zelos, Colette, and Seles at the podium to scanning the crowd.

Something wasn't right.

"People of the united world, I'm here today to encourage you to seek your own truth. Get all the facts, listen to all sides of the story, and make the decision that you believe in. No one should allow a public figure to decide for them what's right and wrong." Zelos looked out on the crowd with a smile. "Your greatest gift as people- as humans, half-elves, elves, dwarves- is the ability to choose your own path. And you can't let _anyone_ take that away from you."

There was another pause, just as Zelos had planned before the segue into the third point of his speech. However, amidst the crowd there was something else. A chorus of angry boos fought against the cheering mass, and all of a sudden a flash of light from somewhere toward the back elicited yelps of shock and fright. Lloyd tried to cover his eyes, but the world still seemed to flash around him as a voice rang out through the crowd.

" _THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD IS NOT A CHOICE, IT IS A FACT. FOOLS WHO DENY IT WILL ONLY FALL VICTIM TO NATURAL SELECTION. ACCEPT YOUR PLACE IN THE NATURAL ORDER OR DIE!_ "

If Lloyd was going to do something, he had to do it _now_.

An explosion of light and mana sent the crowd screaming. The commotion made it hard for anyone to see what was happening on the stage, and it was almost impossible to tell where the yelps of pain were coming from, there were so many. People began to trample one another as they blindly tried to disperse, only adding to the chaos. Raine and Professor Low barely made it out of the horde as they clung to each other in shock.

"What just… who…" Professor Low stammered, her fingernails digging into Raine's skin as she held on tightly. It was a protective hold, but also a fearful one. "...did they just say what I think they did? Who the hell do they think they _are_?!"

"I don't know! I don't know what just happened… what's happening on the stage?" Raine snapped out of her panic to turn back. "Genis?! Everyone?"

"Raine, I can't let someone get away with this! I'm going to go after the assassin- you take care of your brother. Consider the wedding _postponed_."

Raine looked up, too stunned to argue. If the situation were different, she might have felt lucky. But if this was anything, it was a stroke of _bad_ luck.

"Todd, be careful! Don't be reckless!"

"Don't worry about me, Raine. I'll be just fine. There are others who need you now."

* * *

The flash of light had momentarily stunned Zelos, but it hadn't blinded him the way it had some others. He wasn't sure whether he had his angel senses to thank for that or if he had just been lucky, but there wasn't much time to consider it. He could barely process the voice through the commotion, as Seles blundered into him from behind and Colette grabbed onto his arm for support. Suddenly, there was a high pitched noise, another flash, and someone yelling his name.

And there he was, on the floor of the stage. Whatever had fallen on him, it was heavy and had knocked the air right out of his lungs. He'd blacked out for just the slightest moment, but came to with a fuzzy awareness. The commotion around him was nearly deafening, and he couldn't see well yet, but he could feel warmth on his chest and smell the sharp, metallic scent of blood…

The thing that had knocked him over. It wasn't something, it was some _one_.

Zelos could feel blood soaking into his shirt- blood he was sure wasn't his own. He tried to pull his head up to get a better look at his surroundings, but the first thing he could see was a mass of brown hair blocking his view.

"...L-Lloyd…?"

Zelos grabbed Lloyd's shoulders and pulled him away, fear gripping him as he saw the vacant, glazed look in his friend's eyes.

"Lloyd! Lloyd! LLOYD!"

"...Zelos…" Lloyd choked out. When he opened his mouth, a thin stream of blood ran from one corner down to his chin. "Zelos… oh, thank goodness… you're okay…"

" _Lloyd_!" Zelos shrieked, trying desperately to sit up and assess the damage. Unfortunately, Lloyd didn't respond any further. Instead, he crumpled limply into Zelos' arms, his body shuddering with every breath.

"No, no, no! Come on, answer me, Lloyd! Bud! Wake up! You've gotta- you've gotta-!" Zelos continued to yell as people surrounded them, slapping the side of Lloyd's face in attempt to wake him up again.

It was useless, but what else could he do?


	27. Chapter 27

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 25**  
 _Báthaidh toll beag long mhór._  
A little hole will sink a big ship.

 **27-**

" _Authorities have managed to isolate the area in which the assassination attempt took place, but so far they have been unable to identify a suspect. Over fifty people have been taken to the hospital for emergency treatment, while many others have sustained minor injuries. So far, there have been no deaths reported. The bodyguard who protected the Chosen is reportedly in stable condition, but authorities have yet to publicly release his identity-"_

"That's enough of that." Anna flipped the switch on the radio, turning it back to static before switching it off entirely. "I can't just sit here anymore. I have to do something!"

Felix leaned back, giving her a pointed look from his place on the couch. "Oh, sure. Go ahead and leave the fugitives to their _suspicious_ activities."

"You two wouldn't dare leave this house right now and you know it. There are police officers and soldiers on every corner."

"Well, yeah, but-"

Margie stood up from the couch with a nervous laugh. "Well, now, I think everyone's just stressed! You know what would help? A nice hot cup of cocoa. I'll go make some!"

"Gi-gi, wait! Let me help!" Felix reached for his crutch and staggered to his feet, following her into the kitchen. Anna watched them go and then sighed, unsure of whether to say something or to just go along with it. She hated staying and feeling helpless, and was trying to rationalize her situation by telling herself she was keeping those two in check. But they seemed… nice. They weren't beings like the Desians, who were torturing others for their own selfish goals. They really thought they were doing what was best. Perhaps the ends didn't justify the means, but their intentions were good.

Song returned from his room, wearing a white coat and carrying a large backpack. "Hey, Anna!" He waved. "You're feeling better now, right? Can you keep an eye on those two while I'm gone? I'm going to the hospital to help out. Margie's trying to use her arm more than she should and I don't want her to hurt it."

"Y-yeah. Sure." Anna nodded. "While you're there, can you check on Lloyd and his friends? I'm worried about how they're dealing with all this. They were so excited for today… we _all_ were."

Song's expression fell. "I'm so sorry, Miss Anna. I never expected anything like this to-"

"Of course you didn't. None of us did- not even those two." She motioned to the kitchen.

Song shook his head. "They've been out of contact with their followers since they've been here. That was my condition for treating them- I didn't want them using my hospitality to orchestrate more violence from behind the scenes."

"So you don't approve of what they're doing?"

"I… I agree with their goal, which is to protect the Great Tree from unsafe tampering with its mana. Yuan isn't against the study of mana generation in general, but he's eyeing it with caution. So, while they may not be doing the right thing, they're doing it for the right reason. And even if they weren't…" He turned his head away. "When I was working as a doctor, it was up to my bosses who I could and couldn't treat. I had to refuse a lot of patients, many of them half-elves, just because the humans who controlled my work wouldn't allow me to heal them. When the worlds were reunited and I was freed, I vowed that I'd never turn a patient away again. So, when they came to me, I couldn't just…"

"I understand." Anna smiled at Song, a melancholy and almost pained smile. "When I was held at the human ranch, I saw a doctor severely punished for treating a little girl that the Desians had beaten. They took the doctor away and we never saw her again- all because she had helped someone. No matter what Kratos or anyone says, I think helping everyone regardless of whether they 'deserve' it is the right thing to do."

"...thank you, Miss Anna." Song was able to offer back a genuine smile as he buttoned his coat the rest of the way. "I'll give your regards to Lloyd and his friends if I see them."

"Good luck."

"Thanks-"

" _Song, wait!_ "

Yuan stumbled out into the room from the hallway, holding out a striped piece of fabric. Song gasped and reached for it tentatively. "...My lucky scarf. I was in such a hurry, I decided not to search for it. Where was it?"

"After you made such a fuss about it two weeks ago, you-" Yuan began and then cut off with a groan. "You'd been wearing it at the wheel so much, it'd gotten caked in clay. I couldn't stand looking at it, so I stole it to wash with Adora's blanket last night. Ugh, if I'd known you were content to leave it, I wouldn't have gone to all the trouble-"

Song snatched it up and wrapped it around his neck before Yuan could finish. "Oh, _thank you_! I didn't know you cared."

"Just go."

"Yes, sir! Will do!" Song offered Yuan a salute before taking off with a wave. Anna waved back and then turned to Yuan with a grin on her face. He noticed it as he glanced back towards her and stiffened.

"And just what is that _look_ for?"

Anna clasped her hands over her chest. "You remembered his lucky scarf," she cooed. "You really _do_ care."

Yuan bristled. "Don't sound so surprised! I'm not as much of a jerk as your stupid husband makes me out to be. I _can_ be nice sometimes-"

"N-no, not that." Anna had to keep herself from giggling. "I mean, about Song. Kratos is right, you really do like him."

In retrospect, she probably shouldn't have started the sentence with the phrase 'Kratos is right,' considering it seemed to spur an immediate need to disagree on Yuan's part. However, the rest of the statement caused his expression to soften into one more of embarrassment than anger. He scoffed and turned his head away.

"Martel once had a good luck charm that she carried with her. I didn't believe in it and scolded her for being so superstitious. It wasn't anything special, just some pebble that Mithos had found and given her with he was little. But she was really attached to it, and one day after we barely managed to escape from a military raid, she found it missing. I had never realized how important it was to her until that point- and how much it had probably hurt her when I'd made fun of it. So, yeah, I suppose if by _liking_ Song you mean I humor his quirks out of respect to Martel, then I do."

Anna stared at him thoughtfully for a moment before speaking up again. "You work really hard to put on a tough guy persona, and yet you still manage to be sensitive while doing it. Kratos could learn a thing or two from you."

"I am not- ! I mean, I don't -!" Yuan began to stammer and finally turned away. "Y-yeah, Kratos has a _lot_ to learn from me."

Anna couldn't help it- she started to laugh. She could practically feel the irritation radiating from Yuan, but that didn't stop her. He and Kratos were so much alike.

"I'm so glad to hear you laughing, Miss Anna. I hope we didn't do anything to upset you earlier. Here's some hot cocoa."

Margie returned to the room with a mug in one hand. Anna accepted it and took an eager sip, but it was too hot, and she set it aside. Felix, meanwhile, managed to limp in without the help of his crutch so that he could carry two mugs on his own. He offered one to Yuan, but Yuan put up a hand to refuse and he shrugged it off, keeping the two for his sister and himself.

"Let's turn the radio back on," Felix grumbled once he'd gotten comfortable on the sofa again. "I don't like not knowing what's going on."

"Oh?" Anna asked, shooting him a glare from across the room. "You really can't go that long without hearing what kind of trouble your cronies are stirring up-?"

"To be fair, this wasn't us," Margie broke in. "The reports clearly say that the assassin spoke out in support of the Alpha-Beta Project before firing the spell meant to kill the Chosen. For once, our efforts can't be demonized by the academics in favor of their little pet project."

Felix scoffed. "As if we'd do something like this anyway. The Church of Mana cares about people's lives. We wouldn't endanger so many people like this."

Anna frowned and noticed a similar, uneasy expression on Yuan's face. "...how can you say that?" she finally asked. "After you started riots and planted bombs-"

"The bombs were detonated in areas we'd scouted out beforehand to ensure the lowest danger to bystanders," Margie replied. "All we wanted from those was property damage. And the so-called riots started as peaceful protests. It was only when the police got involved that things turned sour."

"A police officer _died_." Yuan's eyes narrowed at the two of them. "Obviously it wasn't the police who were causing the problems."

This seemed to take Margie by surprise. She blushed and looked away. "I-It's not our fault that some of our followers are a little… overzealous."

Felix had been taking a drink of cocoa, and once he finished, he slammed the mug down on the table. "Why are you being so critical anyway? You ought to be _thanking_ us! We're fighting tooth and nail to protect the world's mana supply from technology that could take it away from us again! We're preventing the kind of disaster that caused the worlds to have to be split. Had there been people like us during the Kharlan War, the Great Tree never would have died in the first place."

" _Excuse me?_ "

Yuan's voice was sharp and cut through the tense atmosphere, quieting everyone else in the room. Anna turned to look and was frightened by the expression on his face. She took a step away, but Yuan wasn't moving. He spoke from where he was standing instead.

"Are you saying," Yuan continued, fixing his gaze on Felix, "that you could have prevented the outcome of the Kharlan War?"

Felix shrugged. "All I'm saying is, if there were people like us around at the time, all that bad stuff wouldn't have happened."

"...people like you…" Yuan murmured, and finally snapped, his voice almost cracking as he yelled. "...what _hell_ are you talking about? It's _people like you_ who FOUGHT the Kharlan war!"

"Yuan," Anna murmured, gathering the courage to step closer so that she could grab ahold of his sleeve. "I know they're being presumptive, but-"

"You guys don't have any idea what it was LIKE to be part of a war that big! You have NO IDEA what motivated people to do the things they did! You don't think both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla thought themselves righteous do-gooders like you? You think they didn't paint the other side as evil and a threat to world safety and peace? _People like you_ aren't going to solve all the world's problems, they're just going to create more problems in the name of whatever damn cause they've buried their heads in. You're no different from any of the people back then!"

For a few moments, no one moved. Anna was mentally preparing herself to step in front of Yuan to break up a fight should one break out. He'd admitted to getting into a fistfight with Zelos the night before, so she knew his patience was already worn thin. However, no one moved before another sound broke through the silence.

Adora was crying.

Yuan turned his back toward the others and started down the hallway without so much as a word. Neither Anna nor the siblings spoke as they heard a door close and Adora's cries begin to subside.

"...I'm going downstairs to Song's workshop," Anna finally spoke. "He said I could play with the clay if I wanted, and I could use something to do right now."

Felix started to get up, but he accidentally put pressure on his injured leg and fell back onto the sofa again. Margie placed her arm in front of him to keep him from trying again and nodded in Anna's direction.

"That's fine. Let us know if you learn anything more about the situation."

"Will do. Thanks."

* * *

Genis didn't usually mind hospitals. They were sterile environments with a vaguely chemical smell to them, just like the biology labs he worked in at the university. He could identify most of the tools he saw, so there was no sense of uncertainty that someone outside of the medical or scientific disciplines might get. But, for the first time, he truly felt nervous to be there. It was a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach, almost like nausea but without the urge to throw up. Or maybe there was and he'd been too distracted to realize it. After all, it'd been hours since their planned picnic lunch, but no one had eaten anything. No one wanted to eat. They were too busy sitting in the waiting room and, well, _waiting_.

After the minor injuries that Colette, Zelos, and Seles had received were treated, the three of them were sent back to the waiting room so that the hospital rooms could be freed up for more serious victims. Colette and Seles were now sitting with Sheena, Seles asleep with her head on Sheena's shoulder, and Colette with her face buried in Sheena's chest as though she were crying. She had long since used up all of her tears, however, and was just sniffling as Sheena patted her on the back of the head. Sheena herself was doing a good job of comforting Colette, but the look in her eyes was vacant as though she wasn't totally aware of what was going on around her.

With Raine sitting next to him, Genis couldn't help but notice that Zelos was the only member of the group- actually, the only one in the waiting room at all- who was sitting alone. Curled up on the windowsill, Zelos had his cheek pressed against the windowpane and was staring at the street two stories below, just as he'd been doing for the past two hours without moving. Genis nudged Raine and said that he was going to check on Zelos, and she agreed that it was probably a good idea.

"...Zelos?" Genis approached him, but he didn't react to hearing his name. Instead, Genis tapped him on the shoulder, and Zelos turned silently to look at him. "Hey, Zelos, are you alright? Do you, uh, want to come sit with Raine and me?"

"I'd rather stay here," Zelos replied, turning his head back to the window. "I want to make sure I know when it starts snowing."

Genis frowned. "...it's not supposed to snow. The cold front that came through yesterday put Meltokio into the middle of a huge high-pressure system. The sky's probably going to be clear for at least a week."

"Oh, right" was Zelos' only response. He didn't turn away from the window to even look at Genis. Genis shifted his weight, unsure of what to do.

"...um, are you _sure_ you don't want to come sit with Raine and me? There's a bunch of extra chairs. Or maybe we could go get something to eat. I'm sure everybody's hungry-"

"Hazel said that the surgery shouldn't take much more than two hours. That was three hours ago. She's just assisting- if something's gone wrong, shouldn't she come out and tell us?"

Genis frowned. "I don't think that's how it works."

"Oh? Are you a nurse?"

"You know I'm not, Zelos."

"Yes, I know. I was just checking. If you were, I could send you in to see how it's going."

"I-"

Genis' sentence was cut off by the sound of the door opening. Hazel peeked her head in and knocked on the doorframe. "...Zelos? Genis?"

Zelos scrambled to his feet, pushing Genis aside so that he could get to Hazel. Sheena, Seles, and Raine looked up, watching the exchange carefully.

"Well? What took so long?" Zelos demanded. "We you just going to leave us here to wait while you take your sweet time-"

Genis caught up with Zelos and grabbed Zelos' arm. "Hey! Quiet down, will you? You're bothering other people. The most important thing is whether Lloyd is okay."

"Genis is right-" Hazel nodded. "-and Lloyd is going to be fine. We had a bit of trouble, but we've managed to stop the bleeding and stabilize his condition. Barring any further complications, he should make a full recovery."

The entire group seemed to exhale a sigh of relief. Colette lifted her head as though trying to confirm that what she was hearing was real. The smiles on those around her reassured her enough so that she began to cry again, this time with relief.

"If he's so fine, then what took so long?" Zelos demanded, finally finding his voice. "You estimated two hours."

"We had to take extra time," Hazel began, her expression betraying a thinning patience, "in order to remove all the _steel shards_ from the wound. You saw how the pressure from the spell shattered that blade he had on his back. If we'd left any steel in the wound, it could cause problems during healing."

Sheena fished behind her chair and pulled out Lloyd's new sword- or, at least, what remained of it. Only the hilt and the first few inches of the blade were intact, the fabric around the hilt tattered and the intricate metalwork warped. With one arm still around Colette's shoulders, Sheena used her free hand to hold the sword out for Zelos.

"That's right… his fancy new sword…" Zelos cringed and held it close to his chest. "He was so excited about this and it almost killed him, dammit!"

Genis nudged Zelos' shoulder, motioning to some children who were sitting on the other side of the waiting room, but Zelos shrugged him off. He opened his mouth to say something else, but Hazel spoke first.

"Actually, Zelos, it's quite the opposite. The amount of concentrated energy it took to shatter that blade was enormous. Had that hit Lloyd straight on rather than being mostly absorbed by the blade and scabbard, it would've shattered his vertebrae and ribcage, ripped his lungs apart, and-" She paused at the sound of a choked squeak from Colette. "-er, that is to say, he would've been killed instantly. But he _wasn't_. That extra sword saved his life."

Sheena gave a pained laugh. "I guess Lloyd will _really_ have to thank Kratos for the gift next time he sees him- even if he didn't quite use it the way it was intended."

Colette sat up straighter, drying her eyes. "Is Lloyd awake? Can we see him?"

"You're welcome to go see him," Hazel replied, "but it's unlikely he'll be very responsive today. The doctors are keeping him sedated over the next twelve hours to monitor for potential complications, and once he does come to, he'll be under the influence of some strong painkillers. I'd advise you to go home for the evening and come back tomorrow morning. I promise, I'll send a courier to you if anything changes."

Colette hopped to her feet and wiped the last of the tears off her face. "I don't mind if he's asleep. I want to see him before we leave."

"Of course! I'll take you to his room." Hazel motioned toward the door, but she stopped momentarily as she saw the rest of the group follow. "Oh, um, we can't have _that_ many people in the room at once. You should go in groups."

Genis took a step back and pointed at the others. "Sheena, Zelos, why don't you go with Colette first?"

"You sure?" Sheena asked.

Genis glanced back at Seles and Raine. "Of course. We can wait a few minutes."

Hazel thanked Genis and took the others with her. Once they'd exited, Genis sighed and sat back down by Raine and Seles. He leaned over, trying to read their expressions, but they were both too blank to be decipherable.

"...you two have been awfully quiet this whole time. Is everything okay?"

"Oh, uh, it's nothing." Raine shook her head. "I was just thinking how amazing Tethe'allan medical science is. All this magitechnology is really something. We're lucky that, if Lloyd _had_ to get hurt, he did it here and not back in Sylvarant."

Genis frowned, noting the twinge of disdain in her voice. Some months earlier he and Raine had discussed how slowly the medical advances of the flourishing world were spreading to Sylvarant after the world reunion. Other areas of technology were already commonplace among villages as small as Iselia, but even Palmacosta's hospital was far behind what they were seeing here. It wasn't the time or place to dwell on the issue, however, and Genis doubted that Raine had the energy to say anything more. He _knew_ he didn't.

Seles broke the silence between them, clearing her throat and then speaking up. "Genis? Raine? May I ask a favor of you two?"

"Of course," Genis replied. "We're happy to help."

"What do you need us to do?" Raine asked.

"I…" Seles paused, fidgeting with her fingers uneasily. "...I need to talk with my brother about something once we get home, and I wanted your input as well."

Genis and Raine glanced at one another. "...Certainly," Raine offered, "but why us?"

"Well, because you're scientists. There's something bothering me about what happened today, but I don't know enough to say for sure. I know my brother is smart, but… well, I'd like _your_ opinion too."

Once again, the siblings exchanged an uneasy glance between them. "You look scared," Genis said, inching closer. "Is everything okay?"

"It's just that… I think…" Seles closed her eyes and sighed. "I think the target of the assassination wasn't Zelos. I think it was _me_."

* * *

Once Song made it to the hospital, he wasn't able to spend any further time thinking about Yuan's uncharacteristic act of thoughtfulness. Things were too busy, and there was never a moment when he didn't have something to do. Because he wasn't a regular employee, he acted as somewhat of a gofor between patients and nurses who needed to administer medicine or perform simple check-ups. It was exhausting, but fulfilling. Just like with making pottery, the best work happened when everything was spinning at high speeds. Or, something like that.

He was so busy, he only vaguely noticed a group of familiar faces, so by the time he recognised them and though to ask, they had already left.

"Was that… Zelos Wilder and his fiancee? What were they doing here?"

The only real break he had was when he was waiting for the head nurse to give him another assignment, and while she seemed irritated that he was trying to make small talk, she was at least willing to answer.

"The bodyguard who protected the Chosen was a personal friend of his- or maybe his fiancee's… _brother_ or something? All I know is that the Chosen is here visiting and he yelled at one of our nurses like some spoiled brat."

Song's face paled as he listened. He knew Colette didn't have a brother, but she did have the next best thing, and he also happened to be a personal friend of Zelos. There was only one person it could be.

"W-well, to be fair, I'd be yelling too if I had to watch my best friend sacrifice himself for my sake," Song defended, "so I don't think we can really blame Zelos-"

"Here. This was just ordered for the patient in room 137." Another nurse stepped in behind song, holding a vial of medicine. The head nurse perked up and motioned toward Song.

"There's something for the Chosen's friend, if you want to take it to him. Just don't take too long."

Song nodded and accepted the medicine. "Thanks! I'll be back right away!"

He knew not to run in the hallways, but he was genuinely nervous about the situation. Maybe it was _another_ friend of Zelos, _another_ childhood playmate of Colette's, someone who was _not_ the son of his own dear friend. But, as he entered the room and took a good look at the patient, there was no mistaking it. Song had only really met Lloyd once, but he knew a great deal _of_ him, and could tell just with a glance that this was Kratos and Anna's son.

" _Lloyd!_ "

Song gasped and ran to the bedside, looking him over in an attempt to gauge just how injured Lloyd really was. To his relief, Lloyd looked to be in a stable condition, and once Song was sure that he was only sleeping and not anesthetized or in some kind of coma, he took a step back and sighed.

"... _what am I gonna tell Anna_?"

He remembered the head nurse's warning, but he was a fast reader and decided to at least glance over Lloyd's case file before administering the medicine and leaving him. It all seemed pretty straightforward: a wound inflicted by a concentrated high-pressure compression wave, resulting in both internal and external hemorrhaging. Blood loss had been remedied with transfusions and the wound had been surgically cleaned and closed with notes to monitor for any further bleeding. Pretty much the only thing left would be to keep him on bed rest until the wound fully healed, administering pain medication as needed. Reassured, Song turned back to the medication that he'd been given and began preparing a syringe.

However, he stopped as the writing on the doctor's order caught his eye.

That… wasn't the name of any painkiller Song was familiar with. He stopped and took some time to decipher the writing until he realized just what was in the vial. Immediately, he turned from his work and rushed back to the head nurse's office, this time not caring how fast he ran.

"Oh, Doctor Lu. Did you already finish with the patient in room 137-"

"N-no," Song interrupted, holding out the medicine, "I don't think this is right."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't think this doctor's order is correct. Is it maybe for a different patient? O-or is it supposed to be a different kind of medication-"

The head nurse stood up and snatched the medicine from Song. "Let me see that… yes, that's what it says. Patient Irving, L., room 137. It's the right medication and dosage."

"B-but-" Song began to stammer as she handed it back to him. "-given his situation, I don't think it's a good idea to administer this class of-"

" _Doctor Lu_ , I understand your history as a physician, but I'm afraid that you don't have the authority to make those decisions in this hospital. Our doctors know what they're doing, and if this is what they've ordered for this particular patient, for the sake of the patient's safety I'm not inclined to argue. If you're really opposed to administering it, I will gladly give the task to someone else-"

" _No!_ " Song cut her off mid-sentence. "I-It's fine. If you're sure this is what the doctor wants, then I'll administer it."

"Good. Now hurry up, will you?"

"Yes ma'am." Song nodded. "Just one more thing. Which doctor's signature is this?"

"All the doctor's signatures are equally undecipherable. Just go."

That was the answer Song had been afraid of.

The walk back to Lloyd's room was gut-wrenching as Song tried to think of some way- _any_ way- that this could be an unintentional mistake. This wasn't a decision that any right-minded doctor would make for a patient in Lloyd's situation, and so that left only one unpleasant conclusion. Once he made it back to the room, Song closed the door behind him and barricaded it with a chair. It was unlikely someone would walk in on him, but he still wanted time to think.

"Okay, Lloyd, I know you probably can't hear me, but I need to think out loud and you're the only one here right now." Song paced back and forth around the bed as he spoke. "I can't give you this medicine. This is a powerful anticoagulant meant to get rid of blood clots. It's what you give people with heart attacks, and _shouldn't_ be given to someone who's had internal bleeding or surgery. You'd bleed out within minutes, and no one would even know what happened-"

He stopped and looked down at the medicine again.

"...oh _no_. Someone's trying to finish what they started."

The realization hit him slowly, a sense of dread creeping into his chest. Frantically, he looked around the room as if something there would tell him what to do.

"I-I can't do this. I _have_ to tell someone. But how far up does this corruption go? Will they try to silence me if I speak out? And I can't just leave Lloyd here for someone else to come and drug him. Oh no, oh no, oh no… where are you supposed to go if you can't trust the _hospital_ to look after you?!"

 _Wait a minute._

It seemed he'd inadvertently given himself the answer he was looking for. Song looked back and forth between the barricaded door and the window on the other side of the room. He then turned his attention to Lloyd. Moving him by hand would be dangerous too, but when something that drastic seemed like the safest option, Song knew he didn't have much choice. He took a deep breath and exhaled a sigh of resignation.

"Lloyd, I don't know if you're aware of what's going on, but I want you to know that I don't condone this behavior outside of an emergency situation. But this… is an emergency situation."


	28. Chapter 28

The translation for this week's Dwarven vow was tricky for me, because the wording used refers to the way that soil dries and stiffens after a heavy rain. It becomes more solid, but also more brittle and prone to cracking, and the duality of that state is what's meant by the saying- that after hardships is when people are most guarded and yet at their most vulnerable. I wanted to get that feeling across, but I didn't want the translation to sound unwieldy or awkward. English is my first language, and I still find it very difficult at times. Nevertheless, as per my standard greeting I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 130**  
 _An dèidh na h-uisge, cruaidhidh an talamh._  
After the rain, the ground hardens.

 **28-**

Dirk had been busy for several months before the anniversary festival, his hands full with orders for statues and art pieces commemorating the event. Now that the event had finally arrived, his work had died down and he found himself with much more free time than he knew what to do with. For the first time in many years- certainly more than Lloyd had been living with him- he actually opened up some of the books that he'd stowed away on shelves in the back of his forge. They were handwritten by a dwarf who was clearly not a scribe, the scrawl half-illegible in some places to someone who wasn't familiar with the style. But for lack of neatness found in the writing, the hand-drawn diagrams were better than anything he'd found in similar human books. The text would have to be translated from Dwarven, but if Lloyd needed a textbook for his school, this was undoubtedly the best text on Dwarven smithing he could use.

Of course he might be biased considering how highly he regarded his sister's work, but Dirk decided not to worry about it.

The sky was overcast, with the sun peeking through the clouds at regular intervals, and the temperature was warm enough that Dirk could sit outside by the creek with only a light coat. He couldn't remember the last time he'd simply sat outside and read, so it was a pleasant change from hours spent in the heat of the forge. He was so lost in his sister's writing, he didn't notice that he had a visitor until his guest was right next to him.

"Um, D-Dirk?"

The familiar voice brought him back to reality, and he looked up with a smile.

"Frank! It's guid ta see ye- but whit'ur ye daein' heaur? Arenae they having' a celebration back in Iselia?"

It was only when Dirk stopped and waited for Frank's reply when he realized how winded the man seemed to be. His face was flushed and he had to stop and catch his breath before speaking again. His eyes were wide, almost like he was… scared.

"Y-yes, but I… er…" Frank began to stammer as he spoke up again, taking a moment to regain his composure. "...Colette just called me over the radio. I didn't quite get everything that happened, but apparently there was an attempt on Zelos' life during the festival in Meltokio-"

" _Mo chreach!_ " Dirk staggered to his feet. "Is everythin' alrecht? Is he hurt?"

"Zelos is fine," Frank replied. "It's Lloydwho's hurt. He's… he's in bad shape."

Dirk stood silently for a moment, his grip on the book tightening. "Whit happened?" he finally choked out. "Is he…?"

"I don't know." Frank shook his head. "Colette was too upset to give many details. Sheena was there and she said something about emergency surgery, but even she didn't seem to know much beyond that. I came straight here because I thought you should know. My mother-in-law and I are leaving right away for Melokio so that we can be with Colette. You're welcome to join us if you would like."

There was another moment of silence. Dirk's expression darkened, and he began to speak with a sense of hesitation. "Tae be with her... is that tae mean ye think that he willnae-?"

"I don't know. All I know is that my daughter has been through something traumatic. Someone she loves has been hurt, and she doesn't know what to do. As a father, I can't sit by and leave her alone. And as a father, I know that you'd want to know what's going on."

Dirk closed his eyes and let out a pained sigh. "...thenk ye, Frank. If thes happened an' I didn't ken abit it, I wooldn't be able tae forgife myself. But I'll hae tae decline yer offer fer a ride tae Meltokio. If Lloyd is pure as badly hurt as ye say, 'en by the time ye arrife there'll be naught to be dain. I know a Dwarven shortcut. It's nae easy tae navigate, but if I want tae be in Tethe'alla in time ta dae somethin', then-"

Frank nodded, cutting him off. "I understand. Do what you need to for Lloyd's sake. Phaidra and I will travel on our own and meet you there. Give Colette our regards, okay?"

"Aye. Will dae."

Dirk tried to smile at Frank, but it was half-hearted and he knew that Frank could tell. This wasn't a time for cordiality, and both of them knew it. Dirk closed his sister's book and returned to the house to pack up some emergency supplies. He didn't know how long he'd be gone or how much he needed to bring, but at this point, he didn't care.

All that mattered was getting to his son's side as soon as possible.

* * *

Zelos stopped in the doorway, seeing the whole group waiting for him. He glanced back and forth between Genis and Raine, and then looked back at his sister.

"...I'm sorry, is this an interrogation or an intervention?"

"It's neither such thing," Seles replied with a shake of her head. "I just wanted their input in this conversation."

Seeing Zelos' uneasy expression, Raine cleared her throat and spoke up. "We don't mean to pry into your personal matters, we promise. We're only here because Seles asked us."

Zelos sighed. "Well, alright. If that's what Seles wants, I don't mind. But what's going on that we need all this input? Why not Colette and Sheena too?"

Seles leaned forward and adjusted her pillows so that she could sit up straighter. "It's not that I don't trust Colette and Sheena, but they don't have the scientific background that you three have. I want to ask you what you make of the statement made by the assassin."

Zelos' face turned pale. "I, uh, didn't really catch what they said. Everything was happening so fast, I don't remember it all. So maybe I'm not the one to ask. How about I leave you three to it-"

"I know it's painful to think about," Genis interrupted, "but this involves you. We're trying to figure out exactly _who_ to target of the assassination was."

There was a moment of silence as a series of different expressions passed over Zelos' face. He lifted a hand and clenched his fist, his gaze falling to the floor. "..what the _hell_ kind of question is that? Was it not ME? The one giving the speech? The one that Lloyd had to _shield with his body-_?!"

"Lloyd pushed all three of us out of the way," Seles interrupted. "The fact that he fell on you rather than on Colette or me doesn't mean that the two of us weren't in danger either."

"So what? You're saying that the assassin might've been after you or Colette? What they hell would they want with either of you? Not to be rude, but _I_ was the headlining celebrity at that event. Even if the opening acts are better than the band itself, they're not the main draw. People were there for the _Chosen_ , including the assassin."

Genis let out a _hmph._ "I have to applaud your consistency. You're as vain as ever, even when it doesn't suit you."

"Cut the crap, ya bratty pipsqueak!" Zelos snarled in response, prompting Genis to jump to his feet.

"Why don't you make me, you overgrown peacock-"

" _Boys!_ " Raine clapped her hands, the sound reverberating around the room and calming Zelos and Genis' anger. "Everyone's frustrated and scared right now. But Seles asked us to hear her out, and that's what we're here to do." She sighed and turned to Seles, making a sweeping motion with her hands. "Please, explain to your brother what you explained to us."

Seles sat up straighter, shifting her weight and clasping at her blankets. "I can't say for sure, but when we were shot at by the assassin, I felt for a moment like I met their eyes… as if their spell were meant for me. I think I was the one being targeted, but I'm at a loss to say why other than just my gut feeling."

Zelos frowned, walking over to sit on the foot of the bed. "This sounds crazy. I can't think of a motive for the assassin to be after _you_ , plus, there's no evidence."

"Maybe not directly, but-" Seles shook her head. "-something about what the assassin said felt odd, especially that last bit about natural selection. It seems out of place, but I can't put my finger on it. I know the general principle of natural selection, but I don't know the details. It's… survival of the fittest, right? That the weak die out and only the strong survive? Why would they mention something like that while going after a healthy, strong man like Zelos? I'm the sickly one that natural selection is already trying to drag down."

"That's…" Zelos' voice hitched in his throat as he spoke, but he managed to swallow his nervousness and continue. "...that's not what _natural selection_ is at all. That's more like population control factors, or carrying capacity, or something. I don't remember my ecology classes that well, but-"

"No, you're right." Raine broke in. "While non-scientists tend to think of it from an individual point of view, natural selection isn't about individuals at all. It's merely the amplification of beneficial mutations over many generations. Natural selection doesn't necessarily favor the strong or the healthy or any other characteristic in particular- only the ability to produce offspring. As long as an organism can reproduce, then its genes get passed down to the following generation and its characteristics are preserved in the gene pool for-"

Raine had hoped that her explanation would be reassuring, but she cut off as she noticed Zelos making a sliding motion across his neck, his expression stern.

"...maybe you're right, then," Seles murmured, her voice a low monotone. "Maybe they weren't talking about me after all. Natural selection has already left me behind, since I can't even do the most important thing-"

"I-I think we're overthinking all of this!" Zelos jumped in before she could finish. "We're all stressed and it's making us look for hidden meanings where there aren't any. For gods' sakes, we… we… watched our friend almost _die_ …"

A period of silence followed, with no one brave enough to speak up. Seles finally cleared her throat, her voice barely a whisper.

"I've always been convinced I'd die slowly, succumbing to some kind of illness. I never really considered a violent, instantaneous death as a possibility. But you all, who've adventured around the world, probably have. Maybe I'm imagining myself as the target because this was so unfamiliar to me. Seeing someone fatally wounded right in front of my eyes made death so real and frightening. It hurts. I wasn't particularly close to Lloyd, but it hurts."

There was a small sound from across the room, almost a cross between a cough and a hiccup. Zelos and Raine looked over immediately, but Genis had his head turned toward the window so that they couldn't see his face. Raine reached a hand out to place on his trembling shoulder, and Zelos stood up to step closer.

"...Genis? Are you _crying_?"

"Of course not," Genis choked with a shake of his head. "Don't be stupid."

" _Stupid_? What the hell are you talking about? It's not stupid to cry! Besides, you're still just a kid- you're expected to bawl your eyes out whenever you damn please-!"

"STOP YELLING AT ME!" Genis turned to face Zelos, the hair flying into his face only partially obscuring his reddened eyes and tear-stained cheeks. "I'm so SICK of you, acting like YOU'RE the one who can lecture US about being hurt! Lloyd was my best friend before I knew what a best friend WAS! He accepted me for who I was before I could even accept MYSELF! How do you think I feel knowing he'd sacrifice his life for somebody like _YOU?_ "

Raine gasped and looked to Zelos to keep him from going after Genis, but Zelos stayed where he was, still trying to process what had been said.

"You… you…" Zelos stammered, his voice cracking, "...you think _I_ don't feel bad about that? You think I don't feel overwhelmed by guilt at the realization that someone whose life is worth more than mine will ever be would just _throw it away_ for my sake-?"

" _ENOUGH!_ " Raine stood up, stretching her arms out in between the two of them. "You sound like a pair of schoolchildren arguing over a toy on the playground! The fact that Lloyd was willing to risk his life for someone else is part of what makes him _Lloyd_. You're arguing over who's closer to him and you can't even get _that_ right?"

Zelos could hear it in her voice that she was fighting back tears, and couldn't bring himself to interrupt. Genis seemed to have the same reaction, staring wide-eyed at his sister as she continued.

"I want both of you to _think_ about what you're saying before you say it! And while you're at it, quit talking about Lloyd like he's dead, because he's not. He's going to be okay. He… _has_ to be okay…"

That last sentence was as far as Raine could go. Her composed expression crumpled into one of despair, and she pushed Zelos aside as she made her way back to the door. Before she could escape into the hallway, however, a figure on the other side of the door blocked her path.

"Oh, Professor Sage! Excuse me." Veronica jumped back from the doorframe, looking past Raine toward Zelos. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm here to tell Zelos that he and his friends have a visitor."

"A visitor? Now?" Zelos groaned. "The damn city's on lockdown. Who is it?"

"It's someone from the hospital. An urgent message for you, I believe."

Zelos froze and looked back and forth at Genis and Raine. A sense of unease passed between them and no one wanted to be the one to break it. Finally, Seles spoke up, moving to get out of bed.

"I'll go with you-"

"No, Seles, you've already overexerted yourself today." Veronica rushed to her side to block her from leaving the bed. "I'll get Tokunaga to keep you updated on everything that's going on. Please try not to worry."

Genis nodded to Seles. "We'll come back and let you know what's going on," he began, though his voice was hesitant. "Okay?"

"Alright," Seles sighed.

Zelos let Genis past him into the hallway and then followed after the two siblings. However, before he could make it out, Veronica grabbed his hand to stop him.

"What are you-?" He couldn't even get a full question out before she pulled him into a tight hug. As she did so, she took the opportunity to whisper a reassurance into his ear.

" _I'm here for you, Master Zelos. No matter what happens, don't forget that._ "

Zelos left without a word in reply.

He knew she was trying to help, but what she'd said somehow only made him feel worse.

* * *

Anna sat by the side of the bed, her hand clasped tightly around Lloyd's. She hadn't moved since Song had brought him in, staying next to him while Song cleaned and re-stitched his wounds and gave him medicine to help with the pain. It would probably keep him asleep, Song had explained, but he also instructed Anna not to be surprised if Lloyd stirred a little. So far it had been two hours, and she hadn't heard much out of him besides a few slight groans.

But that was enough. It showed he was alive.

Song returned to the room- his own bedroom, which he'd insisted on giving to Lloyd- and greeted Anna with a nod. "How's it going?" he asked. "Any talking in his sleep?"

"No, not really. He was never much for that," Anna replied with a shake of her head. "Do you need something?"

"I was going to invite you out to the kitchen for some dinner. Yuan made vegetable curry since we have so many guests today. You really should eat something."

Anna frowned and looked back to Lloyd. "I know, but… I'm just not hungry right now."

Song walked over to the bed and knelt down so that he could place the back of his hand on Lloyd's forehead. "My biggest worry when I brought him here was infection, but he doesn't have a fever right now, so that's unlikely. We're not quite in the clear yet, but he's doing much better than I thought he would. You should come to the kitchen before your share gets cold."

Anna paused and glanced back and forth between Lloyd and Song and sighed sadly. She moved Lloyd's hand back over to the bed to let go of it, but as she did so, he groaned again and stammered out a few muddled words.

" _...nnnn… five more… minutes, Dad…_ "

Both Song and Anna froze for a moment in awe, and Song cracked a smile.

"I guess he heard me and though I was his dad calling him for breakfast-"

Before he could finish, Lloyd continued with a strong accent masking his words even further. " _...aye, thas what'che said… five minutes ago…_ "

"-and he's playing both parts in this scenario." Song tried to mask his amusement out of respect for Anna, but it was difficult to hide his smile. "I'm, uh, not sure if that's a good sign or a bad sign."

"... _five more minutes… for real this time… I promise…_ "

Fortunately for Song, what he'd initially thought was a sob from Anna was actually the beginnings of a laugh. She leaned down, running a hand through Lloyd's hair. "Shhh. It's okay. You can sleep as long as you want to, Lloyd."

For the first time since he'd been knocked unconscious, a small smile passed over Lloyd's face. "... _thanks, Mom_ …" he murmured, his voice no louder than a whisper. It was enough, though, and Anna pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here."

Song let out a sigh of defeat. "I usually don't allow food in my bedroom, but I'll make an exception for you this time. I'll be right back with a plate for you, Anna."

"Thank you so much!" Anna replied, finally able to direct a smile at Song. "Oh, and could you ask Yuan a favor for me?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"Could he go find Kratos and tell him what's going on? I know the militia is busy, but… he should be here, I think."

Song nodded. "I'm sure Yuan'll be willing to do that."

"Oh? What makes you so certain?"

Rather than answering the question, Song just laughed and waved a hand dismissively. "Let me rephrase that; I'll _make sure_ he's willing to do it."


	29. Chapter 29

Sorry; the site was down yesterday, so I was late getting this up. Here it is now! As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy.

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 68**  
 _An rud a thèid fad o'n t-sùil thèid e fad o'n chrìdhe._  
What goes far from the eye will go far from the heart.

29-

When Zelos made it to the bottom of the staircase, he found Sheena and Colette already in the entryway talking with the newcomer. Colette had brought Pete inside the mansion with the excuse that it was too cold for him outside. However, anyone could see from his thick winter coat that he was a dog prepared for the cold, and the one who needed warming was probably Colette. And considering the fact that she had a dog that was nearly half her weight in her arms, she _really_ needed it.

"Oh, thank gods!" Colette gasped, running to his side. Pete began to whine at the sight of Zelos, leaning over Colette's shoulder in an attempt to reach him. "Where were you guys?"

"We were talking with Seles," Zelos answered, giving the dog a half-hearted pat on the head. He was more concerned with their visitor at the moment. "Veronica said that someone was here to see us, but I didn't think-"

"I know I said I'd send a courier, but I decided to come myself." Hazel was still wearing her coat and mittens, though her face was flushed as though she was hot. Or- perhaps it wasn't a sign of overheating, but one of embarrassment. Shame, perhaps? A little bit of… _fear_? "Veronica probably didn't want Seles getting out of bed to see me, which I understand. But I needed to speak with you all in-person. This is an awful failure on the hospital's part, and I can't help but blame myself and the other employees."

"A failure?" Raine choked. "What's going on? What happened to Lloyd-?"

"We don't know."

The group paused as Hazel's statement sank in. "You… don't know what…?" Colette ventured, her voice so low it was barely audible.

"That is to say, we…" Hazel stammered slightly as she began again, "...we don't know where he is. He disappeared."

There was a moment of awkward silence.

" _What_?" Raine finally asked.

"About half an hour ago, another nurse went to check on him but couldn't open the door. When she finally managed to get in with the help of some maintenance workers, they found that the door had been barricaded with a chair. The room was empty, with no sign of Lloyd or anyone who might've taken him."

Colette trembled as she spoke up, looking desperate to keep her composure. "Maybe he woke up and got scared. He might be looking for us. We need to find him-"

"He was sedated, remember?" Sheena interrupted. "Even if the medicine wore off and he managed to wake up, there's no way he could've gotten out of bed, much less run away."

"But… but…" Zelos began to stammer, looking back and forth between the others in the group, "...this doesn't make any sense? How do you _lose_ a comatose patient?!"

Hazel kept her eyes locked on the floor. "The window was unlocked, so it must have been closed from the outside by the escapee. But other than that, we don't have any idea where Lloyd might be or who might've taken him." She sighed and placed a hand on the side of her head. "Th-this has never happened before! We don't just… just… _lose_ patients! They're questioning everyone around the hospital, but there's no evidence that someone without authorization was ever allowed inside! It doesn't make any sense unless an actual _doctor_ took him."

"Could that have happened?" Raine asked. "I mean- I can't imagine it, but is it possible?"

"Everyone who works with patients at the Meltokio Grand Hospital goes through an extensive background check. No one with a history of something like that would be allowed access. If a doctor or nurse _did_ kidnap him, it would be unprecedented behavior."

Sheena stepped forward. "What about visitors? I mean, _we_ were allowed in without background checks."

"Unlikely. Visitors are required to be escorted at all times."

"Th-then _what_?" Zelos stammered. "If he couldn't have been kidnapped by a doctor, and couldn't have been kidnapped by a visitor, and couldn't have walked away himself, then _where_ did he go? Was he beamed out of the hospital room by _aliens_?!"

Hazel drew in a slow, pained breath. "At this point, we can't rule that out. But it seems a little presumptive to jump immediately to aliens. Occam's razor, you understand."

" _I will personally contact Occam and get him to shove his razor up your-"_

The back of Raine's hand hit Zelos on the side of his head. "Hazel is only trying to help!" she snapped. "Don't be crude."

Zelos stepped back, glancing down at the floor. "I-I'm sorry. This is just… not what I needed to hear right now."

"Believe me, it's not news I wanted to deliver either." Hazel closed her eyes and sighed. "But I would've felt worse if I didn't face you myself. We're doing everything we can to find out where Lloyd was taken, but in his condition, being moved is dangerous. The point of sedating him was to keep him from aggravating his wounds and causing more bleeding. I can only imagine this might be an attempt by someone in league with the assassin to finish what they started. I hate to put it this bluntly, but… the longer he's missing, the less likely it is we'll find him alive."

Raine held up a hand. "Hold on, now! If someone were really trying to kill Lloyd, doing so in the hospital room itself would be easiest. Why carry him away? They _must_ want him alive for some reason, whether to get information from him or to use him as a hostage. Considering the evidence, it seems the most likely kidnapper would be one of the doctors, and they would know how to care for his wounds to keep him alive."

"But if someone's holding him hostage, then what do they want?" Sheena asked.

Raine shook her head. "We won't know until we receive a ransom note."

" _If_ we receive a ransom note," Zelos corrected. " _If_ it's really a kidnapper after something and not a murderer trying to hide the evidence. Yeah, killing him there would be easier than taking him alive, but leaving behind the body, especially in a place where a detailed autopsy could be performed almost immediately, would be-"

" _Don't say things like that!_ " Colette interrupted. Her voice was so shrill that Pete began to whine and wriggle in her arms, and she had to let go of him. Once he had his paws on the floor, he ran to the door and began sniffing underneath it, pawing at the bottom of the doorframe.

"...I think he wants to go out," Genis observed. "Colette, why don't we take a walk? It's getting dark, so I'll go with you."

Colette crossed her arms over her chest. "Alright. Maybe… maybe some fresh air would be good for us."

"I'll-" Zelos stepped forward with his hand raised, but Raine placed a hand on his shoulder and tugged him back.

"That sounds like a good idea, Genis, Colette." She nodded and started toward the closet to hand them their coats. "Just, stay in the garden area, will you? You could get in trouble out on the streets right now."

"Yes, ma'am."

Colette accepted her coat from Raine and stepped back to pull it on. She fumbled with the buttons, and Zelos stepped forward, silently offering his hands in help. Colette nodded, letting go of the buttons herself and allowing him to take over.

"...do you want to come with us, Zelos?"

"I'd love to," he replied with a forced smile, "but I think you and Genis could use some time to talk, just the two of you. I'm here whenever you need me, don't worry."

Her 'thank you' was unspoken but obvious in the way she looked back at him. He kept his smile up long enough to lean in so that he could give her a gentle kiss. There was no force to it, his lips barely brushing against hers, but he lingered longer than necessary. Eventually he could feel her bottom lip beginning to tremble, and he pulled away before the sentimentality of the situation made them lose any more composure. Instead, Zelos placed an affectionate hand on Colette's head and turned back to Genis.

"Take care of her."

Pete's whines were growing louder now that he saw Colette and Genis putting on coats, and he ran to Genis' side, mouth open and tongue lolling out. Genis sighed, nodded in Zelos' direction, and held out a hand to Colette. "Let's go."

* * *

Once the two made it out to the garden, there were a few short minutes in which they assessed their surroundings. It seemed that no one from inside the house was following them- Zelos had invited Hazel in to speak with Seles, Raine was anxious to check on Bianca, and Sheena said she felt ill and needed to lie down. The garden was empty and so was the street around it, leaving Colette and Genis together in the dimming twilight with nothing else between them except for the sound of Pete wandering around in the bushes. They were truly alone.

Colette broke down first.

She let out only one choked sob before allowing herself to cry openly, tears streaming down her cheeks and her voice breaking into a wail. Genis let out a hiccup-like sound in surprise and immediately covered his mouth, but he couldn't choke back his own tears and was soon shaking and gasping for breath against his fingers.

Pete heard the crying and immediately stopped what he was doing in the bushes, instead running back to Colette's side and pressing himself against her legs. He whined, his tail drooping and his ears lying flat against his head. Colette knelt down beside him and buried her face in his soft white fur, her cries muffled against the thick double-coat. Genis sniffled, wiped his eyes, and knelt down as well to give Pete an affectionate scratch on the chin.

"If it… were one of us out there all alone, Lloyd wouldn't sit here crying. He'd… _hic_ … he'd already be out searching for us."

Colette pulled back so that she could speak, wiping a mix of tears and dog hair from her cheeks. "I know, b-but… where do we even start?"

The question was a good one, and Genis spent a moment thinking it over before he finally let out a gasp. " _Noishe_! Where is he? He- he can always find Lloyd, no problem."

"He can't," Colette choked, shaking her head. "Miss Anna said… that security officials wouldn't let him in the city gates."

"Aw, no…" Genis let his head droop. "There must be… s-something else we can do."

Colette stood up, wiping her cheeks one last time. "Maybe _Pete_ could find him."

"Huh?"

"Lloyd's stuff is still in his room, right? If we give Pete something to teach him Lloyd's scent, he could find him! ...right?"

Genis frowned, placing a hand on Pete's head. "I mean, maybe… but he's a pastoral breed, Colette. He might have herding instincts, but he wasn't bred to hunt or track."

"I _know_ that. But do you have a better idea?"

"I-I don't… uh…"

Genis began to stammer as he wracked his brain, but his train of thought was cut off as Pete suddenly shook Genis' hand away and jumped to his feet. Before either Genis or Colette could say anything, Pete took off running toward the gate, his sudden barking frenzy echoing off the side of the building.

"Hey! What is it, boy? What're you-?"

Colette ran after him, but stopped halfway as she caught sight of what was making Pete so excited. A pair of enormous paws sat on the fence, their owner resting his head against them with his ears pulled back and his muzzle turned up with a nervous whine. It was obvious to Colette that Pete was just excited for some company, considering the way his tail was furiously wagging, but that wasn't doing much to reassure Noishe.

" _Noishe!_ How did you get here?"

A voice replied, and for a moment Colette was shocked to think that Noishe could talk. But she recognized the accent before she could panic- not that the truth was any less surprising.

"Aye, it wasnae easy. Th' city gates are locked up techt. Noishe was th' one fa showed me how tae sneak in ben th' sewers."

Genis caught up and stopped to open the gate. "Dirk?! What are you- I mean, how are you-?"

"I heard whit happened tae Lloyd," Dirk explained as he entered the gate. "Frank came tae me reit after ye called him, Colette, an' I left immediately. Whaur-"

"How did you get here so fast without a rheiard?" Genis interrupted. "It's only been five hours since Colette called, and Iselia doesn't have a port."

"Ye underestimate the resourcefulness o' Dwarves. We hae underground highways 'at those livin' on th' surface can only imagine. But that's nae important- whaur is Lloyd? Is he alrecht?"

There was a pause. Pete was still barking at Noishe, who was whining and backing away, but the garden was quiet otherwise. Genis and Colette looked at one another, their expressions darkening. "...he…" Genis began, "...he _was_."

"Wha' dae ye mean, he _was_?"

Colette clutched at the hem of her coat. "H-he was kidnapped, but we don't know why, or by whom, or-"

" _Kidnapped_?!"

"Lloyd disappeared from the hospital," Genis explained. "He was okay, but… he wasn't in any position to be walking around."

"When did this happen?"

"Not long ago. We just found out ourselves." Colette bit her lip, fighting back tears again. "He was okay when we saw him a couple hours ago. The doctors said that he would make a full recovery if there were no complications. But I don't think this was a complication that _anyone_ expected."

"Hae ye heard from th' kidnapper? Are they demandin' a ransom?"

"We haven't heard anything like that." Genis shook his head. "For all we know, he could be lying in a gutter somewhere. And we're stuck here without any idea of what to do-"

Genis began to choke on his words, and Colette ran up behind him, throwing her arms around his shoulders. "But Dirk and Noishe are here now!" she interrupted. "Noishe always knows how to find Lloyd! He can lead us right to him!"

"Noishe always did have a sort of sixth-sense about these kind of things," Genis murmured. "But in a place like this, will that really work?"

"Noishe." Dirk stepped forward, looking up at him with a nod. "Can ye take us ta Lloyd? _"_

Noise whined and paced back and forth, glancing back toward the street. Dirk nodded, patting Noishe on the side of the neck, and gesturing back in the direction he'd come.

"I'm gonnae accept tha' as a _yes_. Come on, then- there's nae a minute ta waste."

"Yes, that's right!" Colette cheered. "Let's go, Genis! We're going to find Lloyd-"

"I daen' think so." Dirk stepped in front of her, holding up a hand. "Ye two will stay 'ere."

Genis froze. "What? But we can take care of ourselves! You know that-"

"Aye. I'm nae worried fur yer sake. But th' mair folk we hae out and about, th' more conspicuous we'll be. Until we ken whit the kidnapper wants wi' Lloyd, it'd be best tae keep a law profile _._ "

"But we… we…" Colette stammered. "We can't just do _nothing_!"

"Yoo've already dain a lot. Tak' some time tae rest. When I dae fin' Lloyd, I'll let ye ken immediately. Make sure ye're ready tae tak' action then- Lloyd an' I will be counting oan ye. _"_

Colette and Genis both frowned, but exchanged a glance and sighed in resignation. "I… suppose it would be good for us to get some sleep…" Colette admitted. "But you promise you'll come to us as soon as you find something?"

Dirk tapped his chest. "I swear oan it. Dwarven Vow 19, thaur is nae deceit so great as promise unfulfilled."

* * *

"It's getting late. Our shift will be over soon and there's no one around- are you sure you don't want to go ahead to the hospital and-?"

" _No_ , and I don't want to hear anything more about it." Kratos stepped in front of Bryan, waving a hand to cut off the boy's statement. "You heard the news. He's in stable condition. I will not abandon my post just for sentimental reasons. I _know_ Lloyd, and I know it'll take more than this to slow him down."

"...yes, sir." Bryan nodded and glanced away. "My apologies. I just thought that, if I were Lloyd, I'd want-"

" _Enough_. We have a duty to protect the people of Meltokio." Kratos turned his back on Bryan and motioned down the street. "There doesn't seem to be any activity in this commercial area, so we'll check in with Anita and the residential block to the east. Come on."

Kratos started down the street without looking back, listening for Bryan's footsteps behind him. However, he caught the sound of footsteps from around the corner, and stopped to listen. Within a moment, he saw another of his cadets rounding the corner in their direction. She stopped as soon as she saw Kratos and Bryan, waved, and made a beeline for them.

"Captain! Captain, we need your help!"

The look on her face was frantic, and it gave Kratos a bad feeling. "What's going on? Where's Anita?"

"Anita went with one of the homeowners after a report of monsters in the neighborhood. I said I'd come get you to help-"

" _Monsters_?" Kratos gasped. "In the city? That doesn't make any sense."

"Yes. There were reports of some strange figures going house to house, knocking on doors. People have said it's a strange, small man with a large, monstrous creature at his side-"

"A _what_?" Kratos stiffened and glanced around. "I have a bad feeling about this. Let me try something- don't move."

"What are you-?" Bryan started to ask, but he didn't get to finish.

Kratos put his fingers to his mouth and let out a long, loud whistle. It echoed off the neighboring homes, breaking the nighttime quiet of the courtyards. Once the sound died down, there was a brief pause before the sound of a large creature moving caught everyone's attention. The cadet grabbed onto the back of Bryan's uniform and Bryan drew his sword. Kratos, however, stayed still, waiting for the source of the sound to appear.

" _What in th'- wait, wait! Whaur d'ye thin' ye're goin-"_

Noishe burst through the hedges alongside the road and sat down in front of Kratos with his ears perked up and his tail wagging. He was only still for a moment, though, before he began to glance around with a low whine, his nose twitching as he sniffed the air.

Suddenly, there was a crash as Dirk stumbled through the hedges after Noishe, cursing in Dwarven. There were twigs and leaves caught in his hair and beard, and he was out of breath, but he managed to stumble over to where Noishe was standing.

"...Dirk?" Kratos spoke, catching the Dwarf's attention. "What are you doing here? How did you and Noishe get into the city?"

"I came lookin' fer Lloyd," Dirk replied. "I thought Noishe could leid me tae 'im, but we've been out 'ere fer hours an' haven't gotten anywhaur. I don't hink he knows whaur he's goin'."

Kratos frowned and glanced at Noishe. "That doesn't quite answer my question, but… in the interest of keeping public hysteria to a minimum, I'd be happy to give you an escort to the hospital."

"Th' hospital? Hae they found 'im _?_ "

"Found him?"

Dirk crossed his arms. "...hae ye been in contact wi' his friends? Lloyd was kidnapped nae three hours ago. Disappeared reit out o' his hospital room."

Kratos' expression slowly changed, how brow furrowing and his mouth turning up into a frown.

"...kidnapped?" he finally gasped.

"Ye… ye… aren't e'en aware o' that? What hae ye been doin'?"

"My militia has been tasked with keeping peace in the city, and I've been on guard duty. I wasn't going to abandon my post for something so trivial-"

" _Trivial_? This is Lloyd we're talkin' abit! What kin' ay faither considers his ain son somethin' _trivial_?!"

"I don't consider Lloyd trivial. I simply think there's no need for me to abandon my job and my soldiers for the sake of keeping him company. He'll be fine-"

"But whit if 'e isn't? Dae ye really feel comfortable abandonin' him like this? How could ye-"

"I could," Kratos interrupted, "because this is what Lloyd would want me to be doing!"

There was a pause. No one was sure what to say. Noishe whined and pressed against Kratos' side, and Kratos sighed as he set a hand on Noishe's head.

"...of _course_ I want to be by Lloyd's side. When I heard what happened, I was terrified for him. But by the time word reached us that Lloyd was the one hurt, he was already in stable condition at the hospital. Lloyd got hurt because he was trying to protect his friends, and if he knew that I'd abandoned my duty to protect the citizens of Meltokio, he'd be furious. Lloyd is doing his part to keep people safe, and I have to do mine."

This statement was followed once again by an awkward silence. Bryan and the cadet took a step back, but Dirk stayed where he was and heaved a weary sigh.

"I'm sorry. I hadn't considered 'at side o' things. Ye really are Lloyd's faither."

"It's something I picked up from him, not the other way around," Kratos answered with a shake of his head. "And it's you I have to thank for teaching him that."

The cadet stepped forward, fidgeting with her hands. "Um, Captain, Bryan and I can go tell Anita what really happened with the, uh, _monsters._ If your son has been kidnapped, you should go find Anna and search for him."

Kratos unsheathed his sword and nodded. "Bryan, I'm leaving you in charge of this section of the city until your shift is up. Don't be afraid to call for backup if you run into trouble."

"Yes, sir!" Bryan offered a salute. "Good luck to you!"

"Whaur is Anna?" Dirk asked.

Kratos motioned back in the opposite direction. "She was feeling unwell earlier so she's staying at a friend's house. We'll meet up with her and then go to the hospital to see what we can find out about the kidnapping. "Come on, Noishe."

* * *

"Ye sure this is th' reit place? This is a pottery shop."

"Yes," Kratos answered with a nod. "Yuan's apartment is upstairs. His friend is a doctor, so he should be able to help us-"

Noishe barked, catching the two off-guard. By the time they turned around to see what he was barking at, the door to the shop had opened. Yuan peeked out, glancing at the small group gathered around the storefront.

"Huh. If I'd known it'd be this easy to find you, I wouldn't have argued so long with Song about it."

"What are you talking about?" Kratos frowned, shooting Yuan a glare. "What do you want from me?"

"Anna demanded that someone go find y- _wait_ … is that _Dirk_?"

"Aye. And ye're Yuan, if I recall correctly?"

"Is Anna awake? We need to speak with her," Kratos started before Yuan could respond. "Lloyd's been kidnapped-"

"Yeah, by _Song._ Anna's with him now- that's why she sent me to find you. She said that Lloyd wants to see you…or, Dirk… apparently he just said ' _Dad_ ,' so it could go either way. You're both here, so it doesn't matter."

Kratos and Dirk froze. "So Lloyd is-?" Dirk began, but Yuan didn't let him finish.

"Just get in here. Song will give you the details, and Lloyd will be happy to see you."


	30. Chapter 30

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 137**  
 _Tha cuibheas cho math ri beairteas._  
Just enough is as good as a feast.

 **30-**

"Here. It's the room on the left."

Dirk and Kratos had been following Yuan side-by-side up to that point, but once they reached the hallway there was only room for one person at a time to pass. They both stopped, glanced at one another, and motioned the other ahead. There was a pause as they realized that they were both deferring to the other, and a tense moment passed as they tried to figure out what to make of the situation. Finally, Kratos took a step back and nodded in Dirk's direction. To his satisfaction, Dirk nodded back with a smile and led the way down the hall.

Anna was watching Lloyd, seemingly ignorant of the situation outside of the room. Dirk had to knock on the doorframe to get her attention. She jerked her head up and gasped.

" _Dirk?_ Wh-what are you-" Her question cut off as she saw Kratos step in behind him. "Kratos! Oh, thank goodness!"

Dirk stepped aside so that Anna could get to Kratos more easily. She jumped to throw her arms around his shoulders and pressed her face against his chest. Dirk saw Kratos' rigid countenance relax a little as he returned the embrace, and he, himself, relaxed as he turned back to look at his son.

Lloyd's eyes were half-closed, but he seemed at least partially aware of what was going on around him. "...Dad?" he murmured, making a visible effort to open his eyes wider. "...Dad, you're really here…"

"O' course I'm haur. As soon as I heard whit happened, I came reit away."

Lloyd closed his eyes again, and a smile spread across his face as he sighed. Dirk bit his lip, choking back his own sigh of relief, and reached a hand out to brush through Lloyd's hair.

"...are you… going to scold me…?" Lloyd asked.

"Nae." Dirk shook his head. "I've picked up bits an' pieces ay whit happened. Ye were protectin' a friend. E'en if I'm frustrated wi' ye fer makin' me worry, ye waur upholdin' yer Dwarven Vows. I'm prood o' ye, Lloyd."

"...Dwarven… Vow number… two…" Lloyd spoke with a weak cough. "... _riamh leig… l-leig, uh, sea-_ "

Kratos spoke up to stop him. "Don't push yourself, Lloyd. Just rest for now."

"... _Kratos_?"

"What? Why do you sound so surprised?"

"N-no… not surprised… just happy you're here. I… I..."

"Dorn't feel like ye hae ta make conversation fer our sake. If ye need tae sleep, then sleep. We'll be reit haur wi' ye _._ "

"I'm okay… in a manner of speaking." Lloyd replied with an exhale that sounded like an attempt at a laugh. "But what… happened… to me? All I remember… is that Zelos and Colette… were in danger…"

"Well, you were taken to the hospital," Kratos began, "but I haven't the slightest idea how you ended up _here_."

"You were hit in the back by a magical high-pressure burst." Song had been watching from the door frame after Dirk and Kratos entered, and took the opportunity to step tentatively into the already-crowded room. "They took you straight to the hospital where you underwent emergency surgery and had your wounds patched up. Unfortunately, somebody at the hospital tried to kill you with blood-thinners, so I kinda… kidnapped you."

Kratos glared at Song. " _That_ was your solution?"

"I had exhausted all other options! I didn't know who was after Lloyd and why. And, to be fair, I told Lloyd that I don't condone this sort of thing except in emergency situations! He was just too, uh, _unconscious_ to hear me."

"Um," Lloyd lifted one hand from the bed, "how would a blood-thinner kill me? Is thin blood bad?"

"For somebody with a heart attack or blood clot, no. For you, yes." Song walked over to the bed and leaned over so that he could speak with Lloyd face to face. "It keeps blood from clotting, so there's a danger of bleeding out if you have any injuries. With the amount of internal bleeding something like that would've caused, you'd have died of blood loss before anyone knew what was happening."

There was a pause, and Lloyd let out a groan.

"I don't get it. How would I have died of blood loss if… if all the blood stayed _inside_ my body?"

Song frowned.

"Uh, Lloyd, are you feeling okay? It might just be the pain medicine messing with you, but I'd feel better ruling out some kind of neural damage-" He didn't get to finish his sentence before the others broke in.

"I'd say it sounds like Lloyd is back to normal." "Yoo've dain a guid job, doctor." "That's my Lloyd!"

It might've been the stuffiness of having that many people in such a small room, but Song could swear he felt a drop of sweat run down his brow. What the hell was Lloyd like normally?

Dirk cleared his throat and raised one hand. "May I mak' a request? I trysted Colette an' Genis that I'd contact 'em as suin as I found out whaur Lloyd was, but thes city's jist tae big and I dorn't hae the slightest idea whaur I am, much less how tae gie back there _._ "

"Oh, don't worry!" Song chimed. "I'll take care of that. I'm sure Lloyd's friends are worried too. Plus, I've always wanted to visit Zelos Wilder's mansion…"

"Do you need a military escort?" Kratos offered.

"No, you should stay here! I'll be back with Lloyd's friends before you even know I'm gone!"

There were a couple of words of protest, but Song ignored them and headed back out into the hallway instead. He passed through the main room, waving at his other patients, and then headed through the kitchen to the entryway. Yuan was sitting at the kitchen table, feeding Adora, and he glanced up as Song passed by.

"Now where are _you_ off to? Isn't everybody finally happy?"

Song shook his head. "Lloyd's friends apparently have already been told about the kidnapping. They're worried sick, and Dirk promised to tell them when he found Lloyd. I'm going to-"

Yuan leaned his head back and let out a long groan. "Fine, fine. If you'll put Adora to bed, I'll go deliver the message-"

"I wasn't asking you. I'm going."

"Excuse me?"

Song shook his head. "You're not on good terms with Zelos right now, and everyone's staying at Zelos'mansion. _I'm_ going."

Yuan narrowed his eyes. "There are easier and far less dramatic ways to see the inside of that mansion, you know-"

"It's not about the mansion!" Song raised his voice, but the sudden loudness spooked Adora. She coughed and spit up milk, prompting Yuan to drop the bottle and reach for the towel. He glared at Song while he did so, and Song held up his hands innocently.

"I, uh, I should get going! I'll be back with guests soon, so… see you!"

He took the time only to grab his coat and started down the stairs as he pulled it on. Yuan called down with a quick warning before it was too late.

"Please at least use Zelos' front door!"

The voice that came from the bottom of the staircase was muffled, but still understandable. " _Too risky! Never know who might be watching!_ "

Yuan sighed and shook his head, speaking to Adora under his breath as he gently cleaned her face. "See, this is the difference between _trying_ to be cool and actually _being_ cool. He thinks that breaking-and-entering like some sort of Mizuho ninja will make him cool. But you and I know that the coolestway to make an entrance is a bold but direct confrontation. There's no point if you don't make a clear statement."

Adora had been staring at him, seemingly listening, but she continued to stare after he'd finished and finally burped, spitting up over her chin and the front of her blouse.

"Yes! Exactly!" Yuan chimed as he reached for the towel again. "Oh, Martel would be so proud of you…"

* * *

"Knock, knock. Sheena?"

Zelos opened the door and peeked in, prepared for some sort of scolding or even getting a large object thrown at him. But the room looked empty, save for the bed, which had a conspicuously large lump in the center, covered by blankets. There was no response from said lump, but Zelos could see slow, shaky breaths. He sighed and walked over to sit at the foot of the bed.

"I know you're not asleep, Sheena. I could see you pacing around the balcony not five minutes ago."

Sheena poked her head out from under the blankets. "What do you want?"

"Can't I come check in on a friend? It's concerning to see a woman who just lost the man she loves not shedding a single tear."

Sheena shot to a seated position, tossing the blankets off her shoulders. "W-we haven't _lost_ him! We just don't know where he is right now!"

"That's the definition of lost, isn't it?"

There was a pause, and she frowned. "Sorry. It's just, the way you said it. I didn't like how it sounded."

Zelos nodded. "Yeah, I regretted it as soon as I said it. I was going for the idea of losing a dog or something, but that feels wrong to say. But no matter how I say it, it doesn't change what's going on. You have just as much right as any of us- maybe even moreso- to be upset. You haven't cried, you haven't yelled, you've kept a super level-head about everything. _How_?"

Sheena sighed and finally allowed herself to look at him. "You may not have noticed, but Mizuho culture places great value on stoicism."

"Oh really?" Zelos shrugged and rolled his eyes. " _No,_ I hadn't noticed."

"Don't use that tone of voice! I'm being serious!" Sheena scolded him, but her voice dropped off at the end of the sentence. "It's not just romantic love that we try to hide from others. All kind of affection is generally kept private. At this point, it's not necessarily intentional, just something that kids learn through observing adults' behavior. It's natural for a child to express their sadness when they lose someone they love. Back when I failed to make a pact with Volt and saw so many people I cared about die, I was horrified. I wanted to scream and cry and shut myself away. But the adults around me were all silent. Tiga told me that the best way to honor the dead was to continue with life as normal- that those we love wouldn't want us stop our lives for their sake. That's what I always believed."

"Hm." Zelos nodded as he listened, waiting a moment to make sure he didn't interrupt her. "I always tried to put on a smiling face, but that was my decision as a public figure. I can't imagine everyone around me doing the same thing. Hiding your emotions like that can prevent you from healing… it's no wonder Kuchinawa held onto his grudge for so long. I'm surprised there weren't more people seeking revenge on you."

"Gee, _thanks_."

"Er, I didn't mean it like that! I just…" Zelos sighed and shook his head. "I get it. You're trying to hide your worry, not just for our sake, but for Lloyd's sake as well."

Sheena reached over the side of the bed to retrieve the blankets. "That's right. When we do find Lloyd- and I know we _will_ \- I want him to know I stayed calm and was true to my traditions. Our love is to stay sacred and secret."

A smile spread across Zelos' face, and he stifled a laugh. "Sacred and secret? Are you for real?"

"Why are you laughing?!" Sheena bristled and clutched the blanket in her fists.

"Sorry, sorry. I know I shouldn't. It's just that your feelings for him have _never_ been secret. You're so easy to read."

Sheena frowned. "I am _not_ easy to read."

"You really are. It was clear there was something, even when you first appeared to help us save Raine and Genis. I was honestly pretty mad at first- all that time I'd spent trying to woo you, and you fell for some yokel from Sylvarant?" Zelos laughed a little in spite of himself. "But then I wised up."

Sheena nodded. "Yeah, I think we're all aware of your little man-crush on Lloyd."

"You can just call it a crush, Sheena. Adding an extra word doesn't change what it is."

There was a pause, and Sheena grinned back at him. "Glad to see you've finally decided to join us. The weather's fine out here."

"I-I've always been open about-!" Zelos began, but stopped himself with a sigh. "Ah, who am I kidding? Thanks for the warm welcome."

Sheena laughed a little and turned away so that she could cover her mouth. Zelos caught it, though, and nudged her shoulder.

"Hey, I made you laugh! That's kinda the opposite of what I came here to do, but I'll take it."

"As rude as you've been, I can't say it hasn't helped." Sheena sighed. "So thanks. I don't feel like sleeping, so I think I'm going to take a walk. Do you want to join me?"

"An invitation!" Zelos exclaimed, a bright smile lighting up his face. He jumped to his feet and motioned toward the door. "I'm going to stop by and check on Seles and Hazel first, but it would be an honor to accompany you. After you, my lady."

Sheena responded with a good-natured groan and a shake of her head. "I just hope Seles is having an easier time than we are."

* * *

"Zelos, dear, come in. How are you doing?" Veronica opened the door and motioned him and Sheena into Seles' room. "You just missed Hazel. Tokunaga saw her out."

"Ah, that's a shame. I wanted to thank her." Zelos passed Veronica by so that he could go straight to Seles' bed. "You doing alright, Sis?"

Seles was sitting up in bed, flipping through the pages of a book. "As well as I can be, I suppose. Now that Hazel left, I was going to get some sleep. Where is Colette?"

"Asleep," Sheena answered, "same as Genis and Raine."

"I'm glad to hear it. Colette was so worked up earlier, I feared she'd never get to sleep."

Sheena sat down on the side of the bed and placed her hand over Seles'. "I was afraid of the same thing. What about you? Will you be able to sleep?"

"..." Seles was quiet. "I can try, at least."

"You should go ahead and take your evening medicine," Veronica suggested. "It will help you relax. I'll fetch it for you."

"Thank you." Seles nodded in Veronica's direction and waited until she had left the room. Once the nurse was gone, Seles let out a groan and fell back on her pillow. "Ugh, I don't wanna take any more medicine. Those huge pills are the worst."

"They're meant to help you," Sheena assured her, though Seles wasn't convinced.

"Really? A lot of good they seem to be doing!"

"...yeah, it's true." Zelos sighed. "But part of me wonders how bad things would be if you _didn't_ have the medicine."

Seles turned her head away, unwilling to answer the question. Sheena cleared her throat and began again.

"We were going for a walk in the courtyard. If you're feeling up to it, we'd love to have your company."

"Thanks, but I'm _not_ feeling up to it." Seles shook her head. "I could use some fresh air, though. Could you open the door to the balcony?"

"Of course!"

Sheena stood up again and walked over to the balcony doors, pushing the curtain aside. She pushed the door open slightly, planning to leave it open just a crack to keep the cold out. However, she heard something odd from beyond the balcony, and stepped out to investigate. It sounded almost like it was coming from over the side, so she approached the railing and looked down.

She wasn't sure what to expect, but she knew it certainly wasn't _that_.

"Oh, hi, Miss! A little help here? By the time I realized I totally overestimated my stupid toothpick-arms, I was already all the way up here, and I really don't want to fall-"

Sheena leaned over the side of the railing and grabbed the man by his wrists. He smiled and started to offer thanks, but she flipped him over and caught him in a chokehold.

"Who the hell are you?! What are you doing, climbing onto my friend's balcony in the middle of the night?! Choose your words carefully, because I am _not_ in a good mood."

"W-wow, you're strong…" the man choked out. "That's some impressive brachioradial strength. Do you work out?"

"Shut up! Give me one good reason I shouldn't throw you right back off this balcony!"

"...wait, do you want me to shut up? Or do you want me to give you a reason? They seem mutually exclusive-"

"Wait a minute. Doctor Lu?"

Zelos shuffled forward, recognising Song's voice. Sheena loosened her hold on him in surprise.

"You know this guy, Zelos?"

"Yeah!" Song chimed, offering Zelos a wave. "I'm a friend of his! Er, well, more of a friend-of-a-friend, but-"

"Friend of an acquaintanceat best," Zelos interrupted, "and at worst, friend of an _enemy_. What the hell do you think you're doing, climbing onto my sister's balcony in the middle of the night? You _do_ know how this looks, right?"

"Don't worry about your sister, Zelos!" Song waved his hands. "Trust me, I'm as straight as the path through Gaoracchia Forest."

"So's my sister. That's not the point."

Sheena tightened her grip on Song once again. "Tell us _why_ you're here before we call the authorities on your ass."

"Okay, okay!" Song choked, squirming in her grip. "So much for easing you into the news with small talk… the truth is, I'm here about Lloyd. Someone tried to murder him."

There was a pause. Zelos and Sheena glanced at one another, and Zelos finally approached Song, bending down to speak with him on eye-level.

" _That's_ what you're here for?! That was old news hours ago, you idiot! Have you been hiding under a rock all day-?"

"No, no, no, no!" Song interrupted. "I mean at the hospital! Someone at the _hospital_ tried to murder Lloyd! I wasn't able to trace the would-be murderer without putting Lloyd and myself in danger, so I smuggled him back to my place for the night. I thought you'd want to know that I have Lloyd at my house. It's no hospital, but it's a safe, murderer-free environment."

"...Lloyd…"

Sheena let go of Song, and he immediately dropped to the floor of the balcony. Zelos grabbed the hood of his coat to pull him to his feet and drag him back inside.

"First things first, how do we know you're not lying?" Zelos began as he shoved Song into one of the chairs. "For all we know, this could be something you and Yuan cooked up to mess with us."

"That's absurd! I would never hurt Lloyd- I swore an oath to _primum non nocere_!"

"To _what_?" Sheena frowned.

" _Primum non nocere._ First, do no harm." Seles translated, watching the scene from her bed. "It's an expression of non-maleficence, spoken by doctors in the Hippocratic Oath. Hazel adheres strictly to it."

"Exactly!" Song nodded his head. "My oath as a doctor forbids me from doing anything that would hurt others. 'On the doer of good, heaven sends down all blessings, and on the doer of evil, all calamities'- so states the _Shujing-_ "

Zelos cut him off with a wave of his hand. "Alright, alright, alright. We'll give you the benefit of the doubt here. What you're saying is that Lloyd is safe, right?"

"Yes! Well… so long as the murderer doesn't know where he is. But I'm not sure how long I can keep him hidden. The attempted murderer must be a doctor or somebody in league with a doctor. _Someone_ at the hospital intentionally prescribed strong blood-thinners that would've killed him, and we have to find out who it is-"

The conversation was stopped by the sound of the door opening, and the whole group paused to look. Veronica was standing on the other side of the door with a basket of pill bottles in her arms. She glanced around at the group and gasped as her gaze settled on Song.

"Is that… Doctor Song Lu?"

Song perked up. "Miss Veronica St Martin? You're working for the Wilders now, right? What a small world!"

Zelos let out a long, loud groan. "Alright, and how do _you two_ know each other?"

"Miss St Martin was an instructor at the Franciscan Boys' Academy when I served as an interim professor some years back," Song explained.

"I know that one," Seles spoke up. "It's the government's accelerated program for half-elf boys assigned to medical and STEM fields."

"Right! And my alma mater too!" Song tapped his chest proudly. "Though… I didn't realize until I started working there how hard it was being on the other side of the classroom. Miss St Martin helped me with lesson plans and grading for the few months I was there. I don't know what I would've done without her."

"Nonsense. You were a model teacher, Dr. Lu. Your boys learned much from you." Veronica walked over to Seles' nightstand and set the medicine down. "But what are you doing here? I heard you say something about malpractice at the hospital-?"

"Yes, that's right." Song replied with a grave nod. "Zelos' friend Lloyd was almost killed during his stay there. I took him back to my own house for his safety, but we need to find out what's going on and how it's connected to the assassination attempt today."

"D-Doctor Lu…" Sheena spoke up with an uncharacteristic waver in her voice. "I do want to discuss this more, but… could we _see_ Lloyd?"

"Oh! Yes, yes!" Song shot to his feet. "I came on behalf of Dirk, who promised Colette and Genis he'd let them know Lloyd's wherabouts. You should all come with me to my place- I'm sure Lloyd wants to see you."

"He's conscious?" Zelos asked.

"Er, somewhat. His parents are with him now and he was able to recognize them and hold a conversation. He needs his rest, but I don't think there's anything wrong with him having company."

"What are we waiting for?" Sheena demanded, already halfway out the door and into the hallway. "Let's go wake up Colette and the others! Come on!"

"Sheena, wait for me!" Zelos took off after her, stopping only momentarily at the door. "Doctor Lu, give us a few minutes to get ready. We'll meet you by the front door. You should familiarize yourself with it, because I expect you to _use it_ next time."

As a lingering quiet filled the room, Seles let out a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad that Lloyd is okay. I don't know what my brother would've done if anything happened to him."

"Do you want to go see Lloyd as well?" Song asked.

"No, I-"

"I'm afraid she can't," Veronica broke in, though she turned back to Seles when she realized that they were in agreement. "But we appreciate the offer. Seles, do you need any help with your medicine before you retire for the evening?"

Seles shook her head. "No, I can take it myself."

Veronica smiled. "Well, in that case, I'll leave you be. If Song would be so kind, I'd like to speak with him before he leaves with Zelos and the others."

"Yeah, of course!" Song followed her out into the hallway with a friendly wave back toward Seles. He continued speaking as Veronica closed the door behind them and started leading the way back toward the main staircase. "I don't want to delay Zelos, but it's been too long since I've seen you. How are you doing? What's-"

He couldn't finish his sentence. Veronica turned around and pressed a finger to her lips- the academic symbol for " _quiet_." It had been decades since Song had been on the receiving end of such a motion, but he instinctively followed along.

"As you said, there's no need to delay Zelos and his friends. I wanted to speak to you before you left because I heard you're the one who's provided shelter to Felix and Margie Patton over the past few weeks. Is this correct?"

Song froze up. "Th-that… depends on who's asking."

"Of course." Veronica bowed respectfully. "The Church of Mana is in your debt, Doctor Lu. After such a great service, it pains me to have to ask anything more of you. But I'm afraid you've misjudged the situation."

Song frowned, taking a wary step back. He wasn't sure he liked where this was going.

"Wait, you're one of-? I-I mean… what do you mean, I've misjudged?"

"Despite how it may seem," Veronica began again, taking a step forward to close the extra space, "Lloyd Irving's death at the hospital _was indeed_ the will of the Church of Mana. I understand that you were acting upon the best interest of the patient in that situation, but you've put us in a bit of a predicament. I know your principle of non-maleficence, and I ordinarily wouldn't ask this of you. But as it stands now, you're the only one we _can_ ask…"

Song took a deep breath, his stomach churning.

"Ask to do _what_?"


	31. Chapter 31

Hello, everyone. I'm back from my spring semester hiatus, your same tired writer, but Now With A Bachelor's Degree™. (Does that mean I'm officially a bachelor now? I think my girlfriend might have an objection or two...) As always, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 63:**  
 _A ceàird tha nàmhaid mur eil ionnsachadh._  
A craft is an enemy if not learned properly.

 **31-**

"Ask to do _what_?" Song choked- though he already knew what she was getting at.

Veronica could tell, and didn't waste time with her explanation. "You're a skilled doctor. I know we can trust you to make it look like complications caused by the injuries he received earlier today. You would not be to blame for anything."

"...let me get this straight," Song began, speaking slowly, "you want me to _kill_ Lloyd?"

"Understand, you'll be doing a service to the Church of Mana. We're working for the good of everyone in the united world. This one act of relative evil would _save_ countless lives. By temporarily abandoning your principle of non-maleficence, you could do so much good. Please, can we count on you?"

Song could feel his heart beginning to beat faster. A flurry of questions flew through his mind, so quickly he could barely process them. But he caught enough of what was going on to make a decision.

"...of course you can count on me. I can't ignore the desires of the Church of Mana."

A smile passed over Veronica's face. "Thank you, Doctor Lu. We fall even further in your debt, though this. But I promise, you're doing the right thing."

"Well, not everyone might think so. You should go find Zelos and the others so as not to generate suspicion. I'll…" Song paused and cleared his throat. "...get to work on _this_."

Veronica bowed respectfully. "Once again, we're in your debt. I will speak with you again at a later date."

Song watched her as she left, offering a little wave. He began to turn around so that he could start down the staircase, but before he could get anywhere, he felt himself grabbed from behind.

"Don't move. I'm not letting you go anywhere as long as you're planning to hurt Lloyd."

"Oh, _thank gods_!"

Song's outburst surprised his captor, and she let go immediately. "Wait, what are you-?"

It was Song's turn to grab hold of the girl, placing his hands on her shoulders and jerking her towards him so that they were on eye level with one another. "You heard that, right? That lunatic asking me to commit _murder_ for her? Please, please, I just can't have it be my word against hers!"

"Doctor Lu… you're _that_ Doctor Lu…" The girl looked up at him in surprise, examining his face. Song did the same as he recognized her features, gasping and letting go of her shoulders.

"You're, uh- no, don't tell me! Karim… Karim…" He paused and snapped his fingers. "Hazel!"

"Yes, that's right."

"But what are you doing here? Why were you hiding in the closet?" Song frowned. "That's an awfully suspicious place for a girl to be cooped up."

"I-I…" Hazel began to stammer, "...I wanted to speak to Seles privately. I have no indecent intentions, I swear, I just need to _talk_ to her. Veronica hasn't let us have a moment alone together since- _er, well_ \- in the past several months. Tokunaga agreed to pretend I had left with him to get her off our backs. But I couldn't stay hidden when I heard your and Veronica's conversation."

Satisfied, Song bent down so that he was at eye level again and put on a more serious expression. "Listen- I know what you heard was suspicious and you might not be able to trust me so easily. I get it, and I'll do whatever it takes to convince you that I'm on Lloyd's side. I would _never_ murder someone, especially a patient-"

"No need," Hazel interrupted, shaking her head. "I trust you."

"R-really?"

A soft blush passed over Hazel's face, almost imperceptible against her dark skin. "You may not remember me. I was using a different name back then. But I was-"

"-one of my students," Song finished for her. "Of course I remember you."

"After all this time? It's been six- no, almost seven years. We haven't spoken since then, and I've, uh, _changed_ so much-"

Song placed his hand on top of her head, offering her a reassuring smile. "Come on, now! Like I'd forget such a pretty face in the midst of all those gross pubescent boys. Plus, your grades were flawless. You really seemed to love what you were learning- not like those of us who had our dreams yanked out from under us when the government found out we were good at taking tests…" He paused and shook his head. "Still, you were so shy back then, I'm so glad to see you've developed the confidence to be yourself."

Hazel dropped her gaze to the floor, shifting her weight as she spoke. "It was you who made me the doctor I am today. Not so much in knowledge, but in the way you practice your oath. I've never forgotten your commitment to _do no harm_. I didn't get the chance to thank you back then, only because I didn't realize how important your lessons were. So-"

Song moved his hand to her shoulder, cutting off her sentence. "As much as I'd like to spend time catching up with you, we can't forget that there's a crisis on our hands. I've been working so hard to keep Lloyd's wherabouts away from the people who tried to kill him, and yet I revealed his location right to her _face-_ "

"It's not your fault! I trusted her too!" Hazel's voice rose to almost a yell, and she had to slap a hand over her mouth. The mansion was big, but it wasn't _that_ big, and there was no telling how far away Veronica had gotten. "But what I don't understand is _why_ the Church of Mana would want Lloyd dead. As much as his friendship with Professor Sage would imply it, he's never publicly expressed support for the Alpha-Beta project."

"I wonder…" Song crossed his arms, closing his eyes as he thought it over. "Earlier, Seles said something along the lines of ' _I don't know what Zelos would've done if anything happened to Lloyd_.' Is it possible that they were trying to useLloyd to getto Zelos? I'm not sure what destabilising the Chosen's mental health would do for them, but-"

"Seles!" Hazel drew in a sharp breath and turned back around to the door. "If Veronica is in league with political conspirators, Seles could be in danger too!"

"It's possible." Song nodded. "You should stay with her to protect her while Zelos is away. I'll take care of the situation with Lloyd, don't worry."

"What are you going to do?"

"Well, as best I can tell, we have to get him out of the city before Veronica and the rest of the Church figure out that I don't intend to kill him and come after him themselves. But I also need to wait until his wounds are healed enough that it's safe to move him long-distance. It'll be a little dicey finding a balance between the two, but... " Song sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "...it's not like I don't have people to help me. My house is so full of people right now, I'm pretty certain I'm in violation of local fire code. _Someone_ will be able to help."

"Good." Hazel nodded her head and started toward Seles' room. "I'll leave the situation in your hands, then."

"And I'll leave protecting Seles up to you."

A warm glint reflected from Hazel's eyes. "There's nothing I'd rather do."

* * *

After Song left, Lloyd fell asleep for a short while. That didn't last long, however, before he woke up complaining about the pain and Anna gave him some medicine that Song had left for that purpose. As they waited for it to take effect, Anna held his hand and engaged him in conversation to take his mind off of things. She _did_ have something important to talk to him about, after all, and this seemed as good a time as any.

Lloyd was just as excited at the news as she'd hoped he would be. Unfortunately he was also succumbing very quickly to the effects of the medicine and... it showed.

"Are you really?"

"Yeah."

"Are you really having a baby?"

"Yeah."

"Is it in there?"

"Yeah. It's still too small, so you can't tell yet. But trust me, your little brother or sister is there."

"Little brother or sister…" Lloyd leaned back and covered his face with his hands, barely hiding his smile. "I'M GONNA BE A BIG BROTHER!"

" _Quiet, Lloyd,_ " Kratos scolded, though Dirk was too busy stifling his laughter to say anything.

"I hope you're not joking," Lloyd spoke up again, turning his head to face Anna again.

"I'm not joking, I-"

"I can take care of it! I'll babysit all the time! ...i-if you want."

Anna couldn't help a giggle. Lloyd's speech was slightly off, but it was in a way that was very _him_. "That's very kind of you."

"Is it moving? I wanna listen-"

"No, it's too early. You won't be able to hear anything yet." She placed a hand on his head, giving his hair a toss. "Believe me, when I can feel it move, you'll be the first person I'll tell."

Kratos cleared his throat conspicuously. Anna frowned and jerked a finger in his direction.

"Oh, be quiet! You'll _know_!"

Lloyd gave a weak chuckle. "I think he's just joking with you, Mom."

"Kratos? _Joking_?" Anna replied with a fake gasp. "Maybe we need to get Song to examine _him_ too."

Lloyd and Dirk both laughed, but Kratos blushed and turned his head away. " _Anna._ I know there's nothing you can say to lower Lloyd's opinion of me any more than I have myself, but I hope you'll refrain from badmouthing me too much when we have a young, impressionable child around to hear."

Anna joined the others in laughing, opening her mouth to go for another snarky comment. However, she wasn't able to say anything before they were interrupted by a commotion in the hallway. Song appeared in the doorway, out of breath and his face flushed.

"Lloyd, you have visitors-" he began, though said visitors didn't give him a chance to get any further.

" _Lloyd! Oh, Lloyd!_ "

Colette was the first to make it to his bedside. She threw her arms around his shoulders- as gently as she could muster, given her excitement- and pressed her cheek against his. Genis sat down beside her, unable to keep from embracing Lloyd as well.

"Hah- Colette your face is cold," Lloyd commented.

"I'll bet it is," Genis replied. "It's freezing outside."

Colette pulled away, frowning in concern. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's okay." Lloyd placed a hand on her cheek and pulled her close to his face again. "I'm glad you're here. I was… really scared for you guys..."

Zelos managed to squeeze through the crowd around the door. " _You_ were scared? How d'you think we felt, man?! You nearly died and then disappeared!"

"Ah, sorry about that." Lloyd turned and offered a smile.

"Don't apologize! You know it's not your fault, idiot…"

Kratos took a step toward the door, motioning back toward Anna and Dirk. "We should probably step out so that Lloyd's friends can all fit."

"Right!" Anna followed him, squeezing by Raine and Sheena to get to the hallway. As she passed, she nudged Sheena with a smile. "Don't be so shy. He was worried about you too."

"I-I…" Sheena looked away, furiously wiping the tears away from her eyes. "I'd rather him not see me like this. He'd worry even more."

"Maybe so, but he'd be happy you were crying over him."

"I r-really shouldn't be…"

Anna wrapped her arms around Sheena, pulling her in for a tight hug. "Hey, it's alright. He's alright. And you're going to be alright too."

The group did some more shifting around so that Sheena and Raine could speak to Lloyd too, and Anna, Kratos, and Dirk returned to the hallway. "While Lloyd's friends are here, I'd like to go check on Bryan and the others who are still on patrol," Kratos spoke up. "I don't like having left them so suddenly. Would you like to come with me, Anna?"

"No, thanks." She shook her head. "I'm feeling a little sick, so I'd rather have some tea and rest."

"I'll gang wi' ye," Dirk replied. "I'd like tae apologize fur scarin' them earlier."

"I'm sure they understand- but if you want to come along, I don't mind." Kratos started back down the hallway to the main room. "Where is Noishe?"

" _In here_."

The answer came from behind them, from inside Yuan's room. Kratos stepped back and peeked in, unable to keep from cracking a smile at the scene. In the time since they'd spoken before Yuan had acquired a bassinet for Adora, and it was sitting beside him on the bed. Noishe was curled up around the basket, his head resting on the edge so that he could watch Adora as she slept.

"He hasn't moved from that spot since I put her to sleep," Yuan continued. "You can call him, but I don't think he's going to pay you any mind."

Anna peeked in beside Kratos. "Did Noishe know Adora back when Martel was alive?"

"No, he was in Nor'este with Mithos and me. But… he seems to know who she is."

Adora began to stir with an unhappy whine, but Noishe nudged her with his nose, and she shifted slightly before dozing off again.

"He's just as good a babysitter as he was when Lloyd was little," Anna commented with a fond smile.

"Aye. I relied oan him fur a lot when Lloyd was a wee tyke." Dirk nodded and then motioned toward Kratos. "Shall we gang aheid?"

"Yes. It's almost the end of Bryan's watch. I'd like to make sure he returns to the barracks safely."

Kratos and Dirk bade farewell to Anna, promising they'd be back shortly. It was colder out than Kratos had remembered, and he considered offering his coat to Dirk, who looked inappropriately dressed for the weather. But Dirk didn't seem to mind, so he didn't say anything. It was Dirk who spoke up first as they made it to the bottom of the steps in front of the shop door.

"Ye seem tae hae a special interest in 'at Bryan fellow."

"What?"

"Yoo've been speakin' fondly ay him, the way ye dae ay Lloyd. It feels like yoo've taken him under your wing, so tae speak."

"Th-that's…" Kratos began to stammer, looking away. "...that's not it. He's a promising student, is all. His swordsmanship is constantly improving, and I respect him for the work he's putting into his training."

"Jist like wi' Lloyd?"

Kratos cleared his throat. "It's possible… that because Bryan lost his father at a young age… he might think of me as…" He spoke the sentence in pieces before finally breaking off altogether. " _Look_. It took me a long time to come back around to the idea of being Lloyd's father. I don't want to be put in a paternal role for every student I train."

"Sorry, sorry." Dirk gave Kratos a pat on the shoulder. "I won't pry onie further abit Bryan. Ye hae your hands full already- I didn't gie tae say anythin' earlier, but it seems congratulations are in order."

Kratos smiled. "I suppose I can't talk my way out of fatherhood in that respect, can I? Regardless, thank you. It means a lot for Anna and me to have your support. This wasn't exactly planned, but-"

"Oh? I'm surprised. Th' way ye talk, ye seem very pleased _._ "

"Th-the way _I_ talk? I didn't think I said anything particularly sentimental."

"Nae, it's nae whit ye said. It's jist 'at ye seem very comfortable wi' th' situation. Ye hae a sense ay ease abit ye that's nae like a faither-to-be."

"Of course I'm at ease with it. Isn't that normal?"

Dirk laughed. "Och, I dorn't think sae. I min' makin' a pure fool ay myself when I was in yer situation! Ay course, my wife an' I waur young an' clueless. Ye an' Anna hae been bin this once afair-"

Kratos had stopped walking, and Dirk didn't notice it until he was a few meters ahead. He stopped and looked back tossing Kratos a curious glance. Kratos, however, still hadn't quite figured out his reply. He ran to catch up, finally voicing his response once he'd gotten into step beside Dirk again.

"You… you have… I mean, I didn't realize you had… a family besides Lloyd…"

"Ah, that _._ " Dirk responded with an apologetic smile. "I forgot, yoo're nae quite th' all-knowin' angel I once thought ye waur. Aye, I was married, but 'at was a lang time ago _._ "

"And you had a child?"

"...nae, not quite." Dirk shook his head, and his smile turned a shade of melancholy. "My wife was still wi' child when she died at th' hands ay th' Desians."

"Oh." Kratos covered his mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"Dorn't worry abit it. I awreddy tauld ye, it was a lang time ago."

Kratos glanced away. "Does Lloyd know?"

"Abit my family? Ay coorse! He knows abit my fowk, fra my faither tae my sisters, an' e'en a bit abit my wife." Dirk fell back into line following Kratos as he remembered he didn't know where they were going. "Though I dorn't think I've tauld him exactly how she died. Knowin' his ain maither was killed by Desians was enough fur him tae gie himself intae trouble."

"That's true. If Lloyd had yet _another_ reason to hate the Desians, he might have done something stupid a lot sooner than he did."

"Exactly. An' besides 'at, I didnae ever want him tae think he was jist…" He stopped and forced a laugh. "...jist a _replacement_ fur th' child I lost."

Kratos couldn't help turning to look back at Dirk. "You of all people know Lloyd wouldn't think that."

"I know." Dirk shook his head, glancing up at the sky. "I sometimes wonder if mebbe it's myself I dorn't want thinkin' like 'at."

There was a moment of silence. Kratos stopped briefly so that he could match Dirk's stride, comfortable walking side-by-side since there wasn't anyone else on the street. "My first instinct is to scold you for that kind of thinking. But I can't say I haven't had similar thoughts about the new baby. I'm happy, but is that out of a desire to do-over what Anna and I missed with Lloyd? I don't want my child growing up as just a substitute for their older brother. I can imagine it must have been the same for you. But we can't change what happened in the past, no matter what we do in the future. What happened, happened. And every child born into that reality forges a new path for themselves. At least, that's what Lloyd would say."

Dirk laughed and nudged Kratos' arm. "Gettin' a wee bit sentimental thaur, arenae we? Where's 'at signature scowl ay yoors?"

" _You've been spending too much time around Anna_!"

Kratos' outburst was louder than he'd intended it to be, and he quieted down

"Mebbe sae-" Dirk's laughter died down as he switched to a more serious tone of voice. "-but whit ye said abit th' past is true. There's nae changin' it, e'en if we want tae. My wife made th' decision she did knowin' 'at she coods hae surrendered an' bin taken alife. She chose death o'er a life at th' ranch fur herself an' our child. Who am I tae tak' 'at decision frae her?"

Kratos was nodding through Dirk's explanation, but he stopped toward the end and was silent to consider the statement. "It's possible I was too far removed from that level of Cruxis, but I wasn't aware they held Dwarves in ranches," he commented. "I thought they-"

"-enslaved them fur their skills. Aye, onie Dwarf they discovered woods immediately be pit tae work oan Exsphere and magitechnology development. That's whit my wife was daein'- protectin' me from such a fate."

"But she herself would've-" Kratos began and stopped abruptly as it dawned on him. "-unless she… oh. She was- _oh!_ I see. I'm, ah, sorry for assuming."

"Nae, nae. Trust me, if it's as frowned-upon fur humans as it is fur Dwarves, it's natural ye woodnae hae considered it. But I didnae grow up in th' most traditional Dwarven househauld." Dirk let out a sigh, watching his breath cloud over in the cold night air. "That's anither reason she didnae want th' Desians tae gie their hands oan th' child. They killed her nae knowin' how valuable th' bairn might be tae them- if they hud known 'at it was a half-Dwarf, who knows whit they woold've dain wi' it."

Kratos crossed his arms as he replied. "Half-Dwarves were so rare, Cruxis never had a policy on them. But they weren't unheard of. Anna's great-great-great grandmother was a half-Dwarf."

"Lloyd tauld me once." Dirk looked up, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "I dorn't remember my maither, but I heard she left my faither fur a human when I was very yoong and nae a body kent whit became ay her after 'at. I wonder if Anna an' I are distant kin."

"It's a possibility," Kratos replied, "but there's no way to prove it. All of Luin's genealogical records were destroyed when the city was razed."

"That's tay bad. I'm sure it woolds make Lloyd happy tae ken we share blood."

Kratos finally reached the corner beyond which his and Bryan's watch area began. He stopped in order to finish the conversation with Dirk before being interrupted by anyone else.

"Maybe so, but it doesn't matter. Lloyd doesn't need any kind of blood relation to you to consider himself your son. You are his father, no matter what happened in the past or what will happen in the future. And I'm sure you feel the same. Why else would you be here right now?"

Dirk covered his mouth to stifle another chuckle. "I'm sorry I made fun ay yer scowl. Rare as it micht be, I prefer yer smilin' face. It's th' same as Lloyd's."

"Thank you. I always thought Lloyd got his smile from his mother-" Kratos glanced away, suddenly self-conscious, but unable to stop smiling. "-but if he got something from me, I'm glad it's that."

* * *

Bryan was happy to see Kratos, and even happier to know that Lloyd was safe and well. Kratos escorted Bryan and the others back to the barracks and promised he'd return after confirming that Lloyd and Anna were settled for the night. Bryan insisted that Kratos didn't need to- that he should stay with wife and son when they were both sick- but his reasoning wasn't enough to change Kratos' mind. Not when even the barrack cots promised a better rest than the floor of a crowded apartment with a crying infant in the next room.

Besides, what Dirk had said gave Kratos a little extra motivation to look after his soldiers… even if he didn't want to admit it.

The two returned to Yuan's place and walked into the first floor shop area not expecting to find anyone there. But gathered around the counter were Song and Yuan, along with Anna and the two fugitives. They all looked up as the newcomers entered, and Yuan called over.

"Good timing, you two! We need your input."

Kratos and Dirk glanced at one another, puzzled, before approaching the group. "What's going on?" Kratos asked. "Who's with Lloyd and Adora now?"

"Lloyd's friends are still upstairs, and Colette… _and Zelos_... promised they'd keep an eye on Adora. Right now, Song was saying-"

Song broke in before Yuan could finish. "I messed up _big time_."

Kratos raised an eyebrow. "More than you already messed up by kidnapping Lloyd in the first place?"

"That wasn't a mess up! The Church of Mana was really trying to murder him!" Song replied. "And I… I accidentally told the murderer exactly where he is."

"Ye _whit_?!" Dirk stammered. "Are ye insane?"

"He said it was an accident," Anna defended. "And he's bought us some time by pretending to be on the murderer's side."

"But he's sayin' 'at Lloyd is nae langer safe, e'en here?"

"That's right." Song nodded. "We need to figure out a safe way to get him out of Meltokio as soon as possible."

Kratos stepped forward, directing his attention at the two fugitives. "Hold on a moment. Before we decide what to do, I want to know the whole story. Tell me, you two, _why_ does your organization want my son dead?" He narrowed his eyes, glaring at each of them in turn. "And remember, Song and Yuan may be interested in your safety, but I am _not_. So choose your words carefully."


	32. Chapter 32

As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 109:**  
 _Bu gheur an cù a bheireadh an t-earball uaithe._  
Sharp would be the dog that could catch his own tail.

 **32-**

Hazel knocked gently on the door before she opened it, leaning in once she'd pushed it just a crack. "...Seles?"

Seles had been lying down, but she sat up in bed once she heard Hazel's voice. "Where were you? I was worried somebody found you!"

"They did, in a manner of speaking…" Hazel began, though she paused momentarily. She and Veronica hadn't seen eye-to-eye recently, and she didn't like the thought of telling telling Seles that the woman was in league with murderers. That news should probably come from someone else. "...I stopped to speak with an old teacher of mine. We got carried away catching up, is all."

"You mean that guy who used to teach at FBA? He didn't recognize you, did he?"

"He did, actually." Hazel glanced at the floor, but she couldn't help a smile. "He said I was pretty, even back then."

"Well, _duh_! I'm sure you've always been drop-dead gorgeous!" Seles answered with a huff.

"You don't have to shout. No one is here except the two of us." Hazel sat down on the end of the bed, absentmindedly smoothing the wrinkles in the blankets. "When I thought you were angry with me, I was so afraid that we'd never have a moment like this again. I'm sorry I was so oblivious to your feelings… and sorry that I hurt you because of that."

Seles crossed her arms. "It's also my fault. I assumed you were feeling guilty, but I didn't do anything about it."

"You _couldn't_."

"Well, yeah, but…" Seles sighed and placed her head in one hand. "...that only makes my condition more frustrating."

Hazel was quiet for a moment, thinking over what she'd planned to say. The conversation with Song had muddled her thoughts, but they were coming back as Seles' voice triggered her memories.

"...ah, that's right. Zelos was saying that you've had some odd symptoms- things like muscle aches and tremors. Is that true?"

"Yes, but not all the time."

"I see…" Hazel shifted closer, reaching a hand out to Seles. "Hearing about your fatigue and vertigo, I assumed it must be a combination of situational depression and your chronic anemia. But those other symptoms don't match either. Has Veronica made any other diagnoses?" She caught herself as soon as she spoke the name, recalling Song's concern.

"No. At least, if she has, she hasn't told me."

"What medication does she have you on now? Do you have any with you-?"

Before Hazel could even finish the sentence, Seles slid over to the nightstand and plucked the dish off the top to hand over. "Here. This is what she gave me for tonight. It helps me sleep, so I haven't taken it yet."

Hazel accepted the dish with a nod and glanced it over. She frowned, set it down in her lap, and picked up one of the capsules so that she could examine it more closely. She had to squint and hold it up to the light, but she finally recognized it and gasped.

"S-Seles, are you supposed to take _all_ of these?"

"Yes."

"Do you always take this many doses at a time?"

Seles leaned closer, examining which pill Hazel was holding. "That one? Not always. Veronica adjusts it as needed depending on how I'm feeling. But sometimes I do."

Hazel placed the capsule back into the dish. "So you're telling me that you take multiple doses some days and don't take any on others?"

"I mean, if I'm having trouble sleeping-"

" _Seles_!" Hazel interrupted her, clutching the dish tightly. "Of _course_ this would help you sleep! A dose this large would put someone with a normal tolerance into a coma!"

"...what?" Seles froze, a frightened expression passing over her face.

"This is a painkiller for acute pain following surgery. It isn't meant to be used long-term. Extended use can cause tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuation. Things like muscle aches and tremors are common symptoms of opioid withdrawal- symptoms that would certainly manifest if you were on a dose this high and were suddenly cut off."

Seles reached out with a shaky hand, taking the dish from Hazel and pulling it close to look. It wasn't as if simply staring at it would give her any more answers, but there wasn't much else she could do.

"All these symptoms… they aren't complications from surgery at all. You're _addicted_." Hazel continued breathlessly. "And by building up your tolerance and changing the dose abruptly, a person has the ability to control exactly what symptoms you'll present without your knowledge. Someone is keeping you on a cycle of sedation and withdrawal and calling it a disease so that they can just keep making it worse-"

"Stop it!" Seles yelled, tossing the dish to the side. It landed on the carpet, tipping over and spilling the pills along the floor. "I understand! I get it! What can I _do_ about it?"

"...Seles…" Hazel spoke, her voice gentle. She left the bed and knelt down to pick up the medicine while she continued. "I'm sure this is frightening for you. It's _horrifying_ for me. But as much as you might want to throw this medicine away, you can't. To prevent these horrible withdrawal effects, you'll have to be tapered off slowly. I can develop a plan for you to minimize withdrawal and-"

" _And_? You're not my nurse anymore. What if Veronica figures out what I'm doing and cuts me off entirely?" Seles closed her eyes and sighed. "I don't get it. Why would she do something like this? Is she trying to make more work for herself? Does she have a grudge against me?"

"It may not be you," Hazel murmured. "Maybe Doctor Lu was right. Maybe it's Zelos."

"Zelos?!" Seles sat up straighter. "What about Zelos? What did Doctor Lu say? Tell me _everything_."

"He didn't say much," Hazel began with a shake of her head, "but I'll tell you as much as I can. What he said was definitely… concerning."

* * *

Felix began first, speaking with a nervous stammer in his voice. "Look, this is not something my sister and I had anything to do with. We were against the assassination idea from the start. It must be someone else within the Church of Mana who took over in our absence."

"It's true." Margie nodded. "We've had no contact with anyone since Song took us in. Even if we had any say in the assassination attempt, the fact that it failed would have confounded any plans we'd have made in advance, and the attempt on Lloyd's life would've _definitely_ been outside of our control."

"Hold on," Anna held up a hand to stop them. "Earlier, you said that the assassination attempt had nothing to do with the Church of Mana. We both heard on the radio that the would-be assassin spoke out in favor of the Alpha-Beta project."

"I heard that too, from direct sources." Kratos nodded, noticing Anna's balance starting to waver and placing a hand on her back to steady her. "Without knowing who the assassin was, we have no way of knowing whether it was a supporter of the project or a member of the church trying to frame their opponents for the crime."

"True, but ance these criminals found it 'at Lloyd's attacker in th' hospital was a church member, they immediately associated th' assassination attempt wi' it." Dirk broke in, scratching his chin through his beard as he thought out loud. _"_ Was thaur talk ay an assassination within th' church afair ye tois sustained yer injuries?"

"Y-yes," Margie answered, "but only talk. We shot the idea down immediately."

Yuan looked over both of them with a skeptical glare. "Did you, now?"

"You don't believe us?" Felix held up his fists, but Song put a hand on one of his arms, and he lowered his hands again, allowing Song to speak.

"Was the suggestion made by someone who might have taken power when the two of you disappeared?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Th-the woman you spoke to," Margie stammered, "Ms. St Martin."

"You mean, Seles' nurse?" Anna gasped.

Felix nodded. "Her intention was to use her position to get to the Chosen. She knew that he had a close friendship with one of the Alpha-Beta scientists and was worried he might speak in favor of the project. Her goal was to gain his trust and manipulate him into speaking out in favor of the Church of Mana- in favor of the Chosen system and the importance of mana- instead."

"Ah!" Anna drew in a sharp breath. Kratos flinched protectively under the assumption that she was feeling ill, but it was only a gasp of realization. "Veronica knew yesterday morning that they were going to plan a new speech! She would've realized that her plan failed and had the chance to make other arrangements."

Margie nodded. "If she failed to manipulate him with the methods we agreed on, she would've gone with her backup plan."

"To assassinate him-" Yuan began, but Felix shook his head and corrected him.

"To assassinate his _sister_."

"S-Seles?" Anna choked. "Why Seles?!"

"Why not Seles?" Felix replied, though he quickly offered an explanation as he noticed all the unhappy stared directed at him. "Sh-she needs the Chosen for her goals, so she'd never kill _him_! She's trying to use him as a puppet to influence the masses. But he's so close to his sister, if the sister were to die, he'd be devastated. His entire world would be destroyed around him and he'd be forced to turn to those closest to Seles for comfort."

"I see," Kratos murmured through clenched teeth. "Zelos, not knowing any better and still trusting Veronica, goes to her for the support that his own grieving friends are unable to provide."

"That's sickenin'," Dirk muttered.

"It's war," Yuan said. " _Fighting_ is what happens when people support a cause and do what it takes to change the world around them. But eventually, when they face too much opposition, the end goal changes. Lives become nothing but tools. The only thing that matters anymore is winning. And that's when fighting turns into _war_."

Felix turned away, crossing his arms. "Hmph! Only a fool would lose sight of their goals like that. Veronica may be that kind of fool, but there are plenty of members who are _not_."

"Maybe so," Song began, "but under the leadership of a charismatic fool, even intelligent people can do foolish things."

Anna raised one hand. "Excuse me, but placing the blame on someone isn't what we need to stress over. I don't care _who_ is responsible for trying to kill my son, I just want to get him to safety as soon as possible. Can we make that happen and _then_ worry about bringing the would-be murderer to justice?"

"Anna's right," Song nodded. "Our major dilemma should be figuring out how to move Lloyd without hurting him any further. Right now he needs to rest so that his internal wounds can heal. But the longer he stays within the city, the longer Veronica has to realize that we're not on her side and the more likely she is to arrange a strike against him… or go to her back-up plan, which is to murder Seles."

"We should tell Zelos, then," Kratos said. "It'd be wrong to keep this from him."

"And since when are _you_ concerned about the morality of witholding information?" Yuan asked with a teasing smirk.

"Oh, you're one to talk-"

"It's okay!" Song interrupted. "I have Hazel watching over Seles now. She's a nurse that I taught while she was a student, and I trust her to keep Seles safe while we figure out what to do about Lloyd." He turned and pointed to Margie. "Do you know if the city guards stationed at the gates have any members of the Church of Mana within their ranks?"

"I believe they do," Margie answered, "but maybe I could-"

"Then we'll scratch any idea of getting him out through the gates. Too risky."

"Noishe showed me a method tae gie intae th' city ben th' sewer system," Dirk offered. "If we had someain waitin' ootwith the city gates wi' a rheiard or other form ay transportation, we could sneak Lloyd out an' take him back tae our home near Iselia."

"I could go," Anna offered, "if Kratos thinks I'm still too much of a burden to work with the militia."

"That's not-!" Kratos began, but sighed. "I don't want to seem dismissive of your contributions to the militia. But if you're feeling up to it, this is perhaps a better use of your skills. I would get involved myself, but If I were to disappear from my position, people might get suspicious-"

" _Suspicious of what?_ "

The question came from the doorway behind the counter that led to the staircase. The group turned to see both of the Sage siblings looking out at them with concern.

"What's going on? Suspicious of what?" Genis repeated. "You all came down here and we couldn't help wondering what was going on. What are you trying to hide from us?"

"I-It's not that we're trying to hide it from you!" Song stammered. "We just didn't want to take you away from Lloyd! And we didn't want to alarm you in front of him, but…"

"Alarm us?" Raine asked.

Margie stepped toward them, bowing her head. "I'm so sorry, both of you. We have received confirmation that the attempt on Lloyd's life in the hospital was organized by the Church of Mana. My brother and I were not involved, nor do we condone the actions taken, but we're still responsible."

"Huh?" Genis choked. "I thought that the assassin said-"

"We don't know the intentions of the original assassin, nor do we know what the church is trying to achieve with this," Kratos interrupted. "All we know is that a member of the Church of Mana approached Song and ask that he kill Lloyd in the same way they intended to do at the hospital."

"When was this?" Raine walked around the counter to join the main group, and Anna and Dirk both took a step back to allow her into the circle. "Song has been _here_."

"One of Zelos' servants spoke to me while I was at the manor. She's apparently working for the Wilder family with the intention of getting close to the Chosen, and we think she may be trying to destabilize Zelos by murdering someone close to him."

"Who?!" Genis demanded.

"If we tell you, you might go after her," Yuan replied. "Song bought us some time by agreeing to her request. We want her to think he's on her side as long as possible to give us a chance to get Lloyd to safety."

"I see." Raine nodded her head. "Moving Lloyd right now would be dangerous, so we have little choice but to wait a few days. In the meantime, perhaps it would be more advantageous if we search for evidence on the identity of the _original_ assassin. My colleague, Professor Todd Low, left the event after the incident with the intention of bringing the assassin to justice. With her and Zelos' connections, we should be able to find out who it was and what intentions they hold."

"That sounds like a wise decision." Kratos spoke with a deep breath. "The militia, as well, will continue to search for the assassin."

Yuan stepped into the middle of the circle, pointing at Felix and Margie. "In the meantime, maybe we can use these guys to our advantage."

Felix bristled. "And what do you mean by _that_?"

"You want to atone for what your underlings have done, don't you? Go rejoin the Church of Mana and find out what they're planning. Bring the information back to us, that way we can prevent them from having any more deadly effects."

"Bring back the information… like a double-agent?! Do you have any idea what you're asking of us?"

Yuan didn't waste any time answering. " _Yes_. Believe me, I know _everything_ there is to know about being a traitor."

Genis sighed and turned around to go back up the stairs. "I'm going to go talk to Zelos about this. He promised us earlier that he could help us find this mysterious _Doctor Watson_ who's been causing trouble for people back in Sylvarant as well as Tethe'alla. If we find him, maybe we can find the assassin."

"Wait for me!" Raine ran after him, stopping briefly at the doorframe to look back. "We'll worry about finding the assassin, then. We'll be counting on you to take care of Lloyd."

"Trust us. We willnae let anythin' happen tae Lloyd. Nae again."

Raine smiled back at Dirk. "I do trust you."

* * *

Upon hearing that one of his servants was in league with the Church of Mana, Zelos demanded that Song tell him who. Song refused, giving the same explanation he gave to Genis, and while Zelos assured Song that he was " _the best liar in Tethe'alla_ ," Song refused again and told Zelos that he probably shouldn't say that sort of thing like it was an accomplishment.

Eventually accepting that staying too long with Lloyd could arouse suspicions, Zelos led the group back to the manor, just in time to appreciate the sunrise over the Meltokio skyline as they entered. Colette and Sheena had been talking the whole way home about how ready they were to get some sleep, so they headed upstairs as soon as they made it inside. Zelos was about to follow them, but he was stopped by Sebastian.

"I know you need some sleep, Master Zelos, but before you go, a letter was delivered for you this morning."

"A letter? At this hour?" Zelos asked, almost in a groan. Raine and Genis had started up the staircase already, but they stopped as they heard Sebastian's next statement.

"Were you expecting a correspondence from the hospital? The courier said that it's from a doctor. A… _Watson_ , I believe?"

"Doctor Watson?" Zelos gasped, snatching the letter from Sebastian's hand. Sebastian bowed and took a step back.

"It seems clear this is a personal matter. I'll allow you to handle this. Call me if there is anything you need."

"...thanks," Zelos murmured, already ripping into the envelope. He stepped onto the first step as Raine and Genis stepped down to look over his shoulder. "Geez, talk about convenience. Right when we decide to look for him, he shows up. I don't like that."

"What does the letter say?" Genis asked, leaning closer to Zelos. "Is he taking credit for the assassination? Threatening you? Saying that-"

"Hey! M-move over and let me read!" Zelos pushed Genis aside and unfolded the letter so that he could read it. It was short, so he finished it quickly and then re-read it a few times. "...huh," he murmured, a frown forming on his face. "He says he didn't do it."

"Really?" Genis reached for the letter, and Zelos handed it over.

"Read it for yourself."

Genis did, aloud so that Raine could hear as well. " _Most esteemed Zelos Wilder, I am saddened and appalled by the events that occurred during today's celebration. I want to assure you that the actions taken by this unnamed assailant are not indicative of the intentions of the scientific community. While I and my followers have taken extraordinary measures to spread scientific truth among our global community, we would never stoop to the level of taking a life. Rest assured, I will offer my full support in the pursuit of this criminal, and I hope that you will view me as an ally from whom you can ask for help in your own pursuit of justice. Should you need anything, do not hesitate to write back to my post office box. Cordially yours, Doctor J.H. Watson._ Well! Isn't he an eloquent writer?"

"I was gonna say 'pretentious,' but yeah, I agree." Zelos shrugged his shoulders and reached for the letter. "I wonder if there's any way we can-"

"Hold on. Let me see that letter again."

Raine interrupted him, and so he handed the letter over to her. "Something looks odd about this. I want to examine it further."

"It was done on a typewriter, so we can't do a handwriting analysis," Zelos replied. "But we have the post office box, so that's at least a decent lead."

"I'm going to go speak to Professor Low."

Raine didn't even wait for Zelos or Genis to reply. She folded the letter up and placed it in her pocket, starting toward the coat rack. "W-wait!" Genis gasped, running after her. "Right now?"

"You don't have to come with me," she replied.

"That's not it, I was just thinking that Professor Low might not be awake yet-"

"Doesn't matter. Her servants will wake her up."

Zelos followed them and retrieved his own coat. "What's up? What is it about the letter that's so important it can't wait? Don't you want to get some sleep?"

"As I said, you don't have to come with me."

Zelos and Genis glanced at one another, both uneasy. Genis sighed and finally said "Don't worry, Zelos. I'll go with her. You go rest."

"I'm fine. I can handle it, remember?" Zelos tapped his chest. "If Raine and Professor Low are hot on Watson's trail, I wanna be a part of it."

Raine was already out the door, and Zelos and Genis had to scramble in order to catch up. She was walking fast, a silent look of determination on her face, and Genis was out of breath before they were even halfway there. Still, he and Zelos managed to keep up until they finally reached Low's mansion. The butler opened the door for them and, seeing Raine, assured them that he'd fetch the mistress immediately. He invited them in, allowing them to stand in the entryway until Professor Low arrived. When she finally did appear through the double doors across from the window, the tired look on her face broke into a relieved smile.

"Oh, Raine, Genis, Zelos! Thank _goodness_ you're alright! I was so worried about you yesterday!"

"I'm glad to see that _you're_ okay," Genis replied. "Raine said you took off after the assassin and we hadn't heard from you since. Did you find anything?"

"No, I wasn't able to. I searched, but there was too much chaos with the crowd, and-"

" _Enough_." Raine spoke, interrupting her mid-sentence. "We're not here to chat."

"Ah, sorry." Professor Low gave a nod and removed her glasses to clean them. "Did something happen? You look stressed."

Raine closed her eyes and retrieved the letter from her pocket. "Put your glasses back on. We're here because of this letter that Zelos received this morning." She pushed the letter to Professor Low before she could even reach for it, pressing it against her chest. "We're here to take you up on your offer, _Doctor Watson._ "


	33. Chapter 33

As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 124**  
 _Na seall do fhiaclan mura h-urrainn dhut bìdeadh._  
Never show your teeth unless you can bite.

 **33-**

"We're here to take you up on your offer, _Doctor Watson._ "

Professor Low stiffened, and Genis and Zelos took a step back. There was a moment in which Professor Low didn't reply, glancing back and forth between Raine and the letter. She finally sighed, dropping her hands to her sides.

"I should've realized you'd recognize the letter if I sent it to Zelos without fixing that crooked _e_ key on my personal typewriter. Your skills of observation are incredible- that's my Holmes for you!"

"Y-you…" Raine stammered, staring wide-eyed at Professor Low's smile. "...you've been the ringleader of this movement all along. When were you going to tell me?!"

Professor Low bowed, clasping her hands together. "I'm sorry! I know I should've said something, but I didn't want you involved! I knew that if you heard about it, you'd want to help me. The thing is, I'm a wealthy human in high-society, and if I were to get in trouble, I'd probably just get a slap on the wrist and some fines to pay. But _you_ \- you're a half-elf, and from Sylvarant no less. There's no way they'd be so lenient on you. No matter how much you might want to support our work, I just can't let anything happen to you. That's why I didn't tell you. I hope you can forgive me for keeping this-"

"Keeping it secret? _That's_ what you're apologizing for?!" Raine demanded. "You're not going to apologize for going behind the back of the university? For stirring up violence and causing major property damage? For leveraging threats to high-ranking businessmen? For sullying the name of sound science and assuming that I'd want to _join_ this horrible charade?!"

Professor Low's expression broke, going from one of concern to one of flat-out horror. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. Genis took a step toward his sister, placing a hand on her arm.

"Raine… maybe you should hear her out first-"

"Hear her out?!" Raine demanded. "What reasoning could she possibly have to justify this? And behind my back, no less?"

"I'm not saying she's justified. I'm just saying, you should listen to her."

"Raine, I-" Professor Low finally found the words to speak again. "-I don't understand. I thought you were proud of the work that we're doing. When people started to oppose our studies, you said it was foolish of them to stand in the way of progress. I thought you'd certainly want to fight for this."

"Fight by continuing our work despite the obstacles!" Raine responded. "Not by lowering ourselves to our opponents' levels!"

"Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire!" Low interrupted. "There's no other choice when the enemy freely allows themselves to use violence! When they are willing to lie, cheat, and steal to hurt us, there's no excuse for us not to fight for progress. I couldn't bear to see everything we've done go to waste because of misinformation. _Someone_ had to step up and make people see reason-"

"This is not reason! It's fear tactics!"

"I just… just…" Professor Low cut herself off, looking down at the carpet to hide her expression. "...I didn't want you to lose this. You're too important to me."

"What do you mean by that?" Genis asked.

"I've seen it countless times while working in Tethe'alla. Half-elves dedicate their lives to a scientific project, working tireless hours to make important breakthroughs in technology and magic. If they succeed, a human with little to no involvement is given credit, and the half-elf receives nothing. Or, if the project fails, the half-elf takes the blame and any involved humans are absolved of responsibility. I was complacent in that system for so long, even after the worlds were reunited… until I met you."

Raine was silent, though her expression hadn't wavered from its stern denouncement.

"It was by falling in love with you that I realized how wrong I was- how wrong we all were- to deny an entire race of people the recognition they deserve for their talents and dedication. If this project were to come under scrutiny for its safety, you would be the one hurt by it. If the project were shut down, I feared you might not be able to find work elsewhere. And I just… couldn't let that happen. Not to the most incredible scientist I've ever met. Please understand, Raine, I'm doing this for you-"

"THAT'S THE MOST SELFISH THING I'VE EVER HEARD!"

Genis ran to grab hold of Raine's arm, keeping her from doing something she might regret. She allowed him to restrain her physically, but didn't let her verbal assault waver.

"You say you're doing this for me, but did you ever stop and consider whether this is what I'd WANT? How could you claim to care so much for me, and yet care so little what I think? You're not doing this for me, you're doing this for yourself and using me to justify it!"

Professor Low looked as though she were fighting back tears at this point. "No, Raine, that's not-"

"Shut up! Address me as _Professor Sage_ if you're going to act like you don't care about me or my own perspective."

"H-hey, take it easy there, ladies." Zelos stepped in. "Believe me, I'm not the kind of guy who'd jump into a lovers' spat like this, but I think we're all missing the point. Whether or not you condone what Professor Low- _Doctor Watson_ \- is doing, it's objectively illegal. Morally wrong or not, we have to look at it from that standpoint and realize what kind of situation we're in." He sighed and turned to Professor Low. "That being said, it's obvious you've given thought to what would happen if you were caught. There's no fear of consequences in what you're doing. So perhaps the most pressing matter is not the legality of the situation, but the aftermath that it's caused. I think Raine isn't necessarily angry about what you did, but what kind of reaction your actions have created."

"I am ABSOLUTELY angry about what she did-" Raine began, but Genis stepped in before she could talk much longer.

"Raine, you should calm down and think this through before talking again. You're hurt, and it's affecting your logic." He sighed, shaking his head, and turned his attention back to Professor Low. "What I want to know is, what about those people who kidnapped Bianca and attacked me? They said they were working for Watson, yet you attacked them and were so angry-"

"Of course I was angry! They hurt you and Bianca!" Professor Low shot back. "They should've known who you were- if they had, they would've known never to lay a hand on you. You can bet I punished them _severely_ ,"

"So you wouldn't have cared if they'd kidnapped and attacked someone else-?" Raine growled, but Zelos cut her off.

"What about yesterday? You said that the assassination attempt at the event yesterday wasn't your doing, is that right?"

"It definitely wasn't," Low replied with an affirmative nod. "If must have either been someone independent, or someone against the project trying to frame the scientific community for violence that we would never condone."

"So it may have very well been the Church of Mana…" Genis spoke, more thinking-out-loud than he was talking to the others. He realized this of course, and quickly explained before Low could ask. "The doctor who's caring for Lloyd now has helped some members of the Church of Mana, and they told him about a plan from within the church to manipulate the Chosen by hurting someone he loves. It's possible that they were responsible for the assassination attempt."

"We should've realized it when they shouted that bullshit about natural selection that _clearly_ missed the point of what natural selection even means," Zelos said, cursing under his breath.

Professor Low inched closer. "As I said before, I'm going to do everything I can to find the assassin and bring them to justice. They will pay dearly for attempting to hurt the esteemed Zelos Wilder and his family-"

"Forget their intentions!" Raine hissed. "They _actually_ hurt Lloyd! Or did you forget?"

"I-I…" Professor Low shook her head. "Of course I didn't forget! But Lloyd is okay, right? And he wasn't the target, right? So that's not important right now."

"Not important? Not _important_?!" Raine lunged at her, and Zelos had to grab her before she could get hold of Professor Low's coat. "Lloyd is the reason all of us are here right now, and you don't think his life is important-?!"

"Raine, Raine, stop!" Genis pleaded. "That's not what she meant and you know it! I know you're upset, but you have to stay calm."

Tears formed in the corner of Professor Low's eyes. "...I… I never meant to hurt you, Raine. I never meant to hurt anyone."

Raine had stopped flailing, and Zelos let go of her. She looked up at Professor Low again, and though her eyes were cloudy, she was too angry to cry. "It doesn't matter what you meant. You did. Without your ignorant violence, the Church of Mana would never have felt threatened enough to escalate their violence to this level. You're just as responsible for this assassination as the one who fired the spell."

"That seems a little extreme-" Zelos began, but Professor Low cut him off.

"She's right. I am indirectly responsible for what happened." Low sniffled and removed her glasses so that she could wipe her eyes. "That's why I wrote to you with the intention of finding the assassin. I'm going to do everything I can to erase the mistakes I've made. Please, Raine, will you accept that?"

There was a moment of silence. Finally, Raine sighed and replied, fixing Professor Low in a stern stare. "Of course I can accept you made mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. _I_ made a big one just the other night."

"You-" Professor Low started to smile, but the last sentence gave her pause. She took a step toward Raine and met her halfway as Raine dug into her pocket and shoved a small object toward her.

"Here. You can have this back. I don't want it."

Low grasped the object and unfolded her hands to look, already knowing what she'd received. Still, her face was stricken with fear as she caught sight of the ring in her hands.

"Raine, no…"

"You made a promise to Zelos that you'd find this assassin." Raine cut her off. "I expect you to follow through. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to do my part to help as well. _Without you_."

With that, she turned around and stormed out of the manor, allowing the door to slam shut behind her. Genis and Professor Low both took off toward the door at once, yelling " _RAINE!,_ " but Zelos held the latter back.

"Let him go. She needs him now- not you."

"B-b-but-" Professor Low allowed herself to cry openly now, tears streaming down her cheeks and her voice wracked with sobs. "-but _I_ need _her!_ "

Zelos felt a lump form in his stomach. He hated seeing a woman cry. But he knew that her pain wasn't undeserved. "Maybe you should've thought of that before you went behind Raine's back with this."

"I-I did it _for_ her! I don't understand why she's so angry- she should've been proud of me!"

Zelos frowned. "If you don't understand her feelings, it means that you don't know her as well as you thought you did."

"But that can't be! I'm in love with her-"

"I don't doubt-" Zelos interrupted, "-that you're in love with the idea of Raine that you've formed in your mind. But the difference between that Raine and the real Raine is evident in her reaction. If you ever want to win back her affection, you have to figure out just where your understanding of her was flawed." He paused and took a step toward the door. "I didn't sleep at all last night, so I'm going to get some rest. You consider this in the meantime, and we can meet up later this evening to discuss our plan of action for finding the assassin."

"R-right!" Professor Low wiped her eyes again, this time allowing a look of resolute hope to take over her face. "Of course. We'll find the assassin for Raine's sake."

"No, we'll find the assassin because it's the right thing to do. And maybe you should consider sending reparations to the people in Sylvarant whose properties you damaged. That way I won't feel morally compelled to turn you into the authorities."

"You wouldn't!"

Zelos glared back once more before he closed the door, an angry glint just barely visible in his eye.

"After what you did to Raine? _Try me_."

* * *

Raine woke up in a daze, not quite sure what time it was or how long she'd been asleep. The scene out her window seemed to indicate early afternoon, and when she checked the watch that was lying on the side table, it read half-past one.

With a groan, she sat up and looked over to the next bed. Genis wasn't there, however, and the bed had been left neatly made. Not wanting to be left behind, she got up and changed into a clean set of clothes, then stepped out into the hallway.

When she did so, she met Sheena walking in the opposite direction. "Oh, you're awake!" Sheena gasped. "We're having lunch in the dining room. Do you, uh, want to join us…?"

There was a hesitance in her voice, and Raine frowned. "Did Genis tell you what happened?"

"Yeah, he did. I'm sorry, we-"

"No, it's okay." Raine shook her head and started down the stairs. "I could use something to get my mind off of things. We should discuss our next course of action."

"Right!" Sheena followed after her, remaining silent as they made their way to the dining room. Colette was there waiting for them, along with Nika and Bianca, the latter of whom had already started eating. She looked up from her sandwich when she heard the door open, however, and dropped everything to go running toward them.

"Big-sis Raine!"

Bianca grabbed onto Raine's dress, looking up at her with the edges of her mouth stained with peanut butter. Raine couldn't help a laugh, and she placed a hand on Bianca's head.

"I'm sorry if I made you worry, Bianca. I'm alright, really."

"But…" Bianca started again, but her voice trailed off and she looked away. Raine cleared her throat and began again.

"Where is Genis?"

"He went with Zelos to-" Colette began and then stopped herself. "I mean, uh-"

"They went to work with Professor Low, right?" Raine finished for her. "That makes sense. I'm sure the three of them working together will make some progress. We can't let them outdo us. Let's eat and then put our energy toward collecting information."

"Are you sure?" Colette asked. "You don't want to talk about what happened?"

"Not particularly. It isn't going to change anything." Raine sat down across the table from Colette and Nika. "You can start eating- no need to wait for me."

"But-" Colette began, but Nika shook her head.

"Don't force her. Besides, Doctor Lu said that there's a member of the Church of Mana within Zelos' staff. We can't waste time and risk that person discovering that we're investigating them."

"But how do we investigate?" Colette asked. "We can't just go questioning all the staff. That'd be too suspicious."

"We could talk to staff we trust," Raine offered. "We know that Sebastian would never go behind Zelos' back, as he practically raised Zelos. He's familiar with the workings of all the staff and can tell us about any strange behavior."

"What about Veronica?" Colette asked. "She's always working so hard for Seles. I'm sure we can trust her."

"We'll add her to the list, then." Raine nodded. "Anyone else?"

There was a silence. Everyone looked over at Colette, who would naturally be the most familiar with the employees. She looked back, confused and stammering.

"U-um… I don't really know. I don't like to think that there's anyone here I can't trust. They're all so kind and helpful."

Sheena leaned back in her chair and sighed. "Of course. We should've known Colette would think that way."

"I-I'm sorry!"

"It's not a bad thing," Nika responded. "In fact, I think it's nice that you're so trusting."

Sheena rested her arm on Colette's shoulder. "She's right. We love your trusting nature, Colette. It's just tough when trying to separate friends from enemies-"

"Enemies?" The voice came from the doorway, and everyone looked up to see Seles and Veronica entering the dining room. Veronica continued to speak, a look of worry in her eyes. "Is something going on? Do we need to worry about enemies?"

"Ah, it's…" Colette stood up. "...it's because of what happened to Lloyd. Doctor Lu said that one of Zelos' servants approached him and asked-"

"-if he knew who the assassin was," Seles broke in, cutting Colette off before she could finish. "He said he didn't know anything, but he thinks we should learn more about those involved in the Alpha-Beta project and go from there. So we're asking Professor Sage about everyone she knows who's involved."

"Is that so?" Veronica frowned, eyeing the rest of the group. "I didn't know you were involved, Seles."

"Of course they'd ask me to be a part of it." Seles tapped her chest, giving a proud smile. "My brother talked to me about it before he went to talk to Professor Low. Right, guys?"

"That's right," Nika chimed in, offering a reassuring smile. "Genis told me about it too! Seles has lived in Meltokio longer than anyone here has, so she knows people who can help us get information about the event."

Veronica let out a sigh. "I see. Well, I could certainly help you if you need another native. I've lived in Meltokio longer than most of you have been alive. There's no corner of the city I don't know."

"We appreciate it," Seles responded, nodding in Veronica's direction, "but you're supposed to have the afternoon off today. We'll call for you if we need you."

"Fair enough." Veronica waved to Seles and started toward the door again. "I won't go too far, so don't hesitate to come get me. I'll see you later this evening."

"See you then!" Seles waved, staying by the door until Veronica had left the house entirely. Once she had, Seles turned around and approached the table, slamming her hands on it. " _What_ do you think you were doing?!"

"What do you mean? We thought she could help-" Raine started to respond, but she stopped mid-sentence. "Or, are you saying you don't trust even Ms. Veronica?"

" _Even_ Veronica?" Seles crossed her arms. "You realize that she's the one who asked Song to kill Lloyd, don't you?"

"What?!"

Both Sheena and Raine stood up, and Colette clutched her hands to her chest.

"No! But she-"

"She's been planning this the whole time," Seles murmured, shaking her head. "The medicine she was giving me… it was just a ploy to control my health and manipulate my brother's emotions. And we both fell for it completely. I really thought I was sick, that a minor surgery had somehow irreversibly altered my ability to function. And Veronica pushed Hazel away, not because she was looking out for me, but because she knew that Hazel could identify the drugs she was giving me-"

"Seles, calm down." Sheena had walked around the table to stand next to Seles, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Tell us the full story, please. We want to know the details, and you can't give us those if you're so worked up."

" _If she doesn't wish to speak, I can give you the information._ "

Another voice joined in the conversation from just beyond the kitchen door, this time a male's voice. Sebastian stepped in and bowed his head as he continued.

"Mistress Hazel informed Tokunaga and me of the full extent of the situation last night. We both feel partially responsible, as it is our job to care for the Mistress and Master. But I, myself, feel particularly at fault, as I pride myself on knowing what's going on in this house before anyone else does."

"It's not your fault, Sebastian," Colette assured him. "The female servants don't report to you-"

"It does not matter which servants report to me and which do not. I take care in monitoring all those in service to the Wilder family. But with Veronica's credentials and my own lack of medical knowledge, I didn't even think to investigate the specific medication she was providing Mistress Seles, even when her condition worsened unexpectedly following the surgery-"

"Don't worry about it. I'll fill them in on the details." Seles took a step toward him and placed one hand on his arm. "Tokunaga felt responsible for this too, and I'll tell you what I told him. You can't be expected to do the job of a nurse, especially when you're busy being a world-class butler. From now on, focus on what you can do to help my brother. That's what my friends and I are doing."

Sebastian bowed. "Thank you, Mistress Seles. I will. In the meantime, I will leave you and Mistress Colette to your work."

As he exited, Raine looked up to Seles. "I didn't hear that you had surgery. What happened?"

"I contracted appendicitis," Seles replied as she sat down, "but it's taken care of now."

"I see." Raine nodded. "So that was why…"

"Wait. If your recent illness has been due to the drugs Veronica was giving you," Sheena began, leaning over the table, "that means it _isn't_ complications from the appendectomy?"

"Yes, that's-"

Bianca raised her hand, and Seles cut her sentence off to listen to what the girl had to say. "Um, what's an _ap-pen-dectomy?_ "

"It's a surgery in which a person's appendix is removed, usually due to inflammation" Seles replied.

"Wow, so you had your appendix taken out?" Bianca leaned over the table toward Seles, her eyes wide. "Nika had that done a couple years ago! It was super scary!"

"Bianca, get down from the table," Nika scolded, tugging at her sister's sleeve. Bianca ignored her, however, especially when Seles answered again.

"Yes, it was frightening," she spoke with a nod, "but the surgery itself wasn't the frightening part. It was the uncertainty of what might happen if they didn't do it, or if something went wrong afterward. But, then, I imagine that's the same for any medical problem of that nature. The choice between certain death or potential death is not a pleasant one to make."

Bianca slid back into her chair, her face turning pale. "Is that true, Nika? Would you have died if the operation had gone wrong?"

"Well, maybe," Nika began, "but the doctors knew exactly what they were doing. Seles is exaggerating when she describes the operation as 'potential death.' It's a very widely practiced procedure, and they managed to get to my appendix before it burst, minimizing the complications." She smiled and placed a hand on Bianca's head. "Besides, that wasn't my first life-saving surgery. I've been very lucky with medical procedures in the past. You don't need to worry about me."

Colette gasped. "Really? You've had that many-" She cut off before she could finish. "-ah, that's right. You grew up in Tethe'alla. The medicine would've been different from where I grew up."

"When was that?" Bianca repeated. "I don't remember you being really sick before. Was that before I was born?"

"It was when you were very small. You wouldn't remember it." Nika shook her head. "So don't worry. Okay?"

"But still-"

Seles cleared her throat. "It sounds like we have a lot in common, Miss Nika. I've suffered chronic anemia throughout most of my life due to a genetic disorder, and I've been poked and prodded by so many medical professionals, it's become a normal part of my life."

Nika blushed. "O-oh, I haven't had it nearly as bad! I mean, I was sickly for a short while when I was a teenager, but… I've generally been in very good health."

Raine closed her eyes and sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Still, the idea of perfect health is nothing more than a myth. The ideal of being free from any health disorder whatsoever is just a fantasy- there's always _something_ wrong with everyone. We all depend on medicine to help us live our lives. I suppose that's why we're so vulnerable to manipulation by people like Veronica."

"It's frightening," Nika murmured. "I don't like this idea of not knowing who you can trust."  
"Not just that," Raine added, "but that, to betray your trust, someone first has to earn that trust. And it's hard not to grow to care for someone when they do that…"

There was an awkward silence as everyone tried to look away. No one wanted to bring up the obvious, but they knew where Raine's speech was coming from. It was Bianca who finally spoke up, seemingly oblivious.

"But strangers can be scary too! It was super scary when I got kidnapped for overhearing about a bomb being planted at the marina last week, and then the other day when I heard about an assassination…"

Colette, Sheena, and Seles all jerked their heads to look at Bianca. "What? Where did you hear that?" Sheena gasped.

Raine's reaction time wasn't as fast, but she looked up as well. "Was this the other night at Professor Low's?"

"Y-yeah, but…" The sudden focus of attention suddenly made Bianca nervous, and she fidgeted in her seat. "…they said they were just playing a game."

"You mean the two servants talking about Habeas Corpus?" Raine asked.

"Right, those two. I was surprised, 'cause they said your and Zelos' names, so I was sure it was real, but-"

"-those liars!" Sheena rose to her feet, and Colette put a hand on her arm in an attempt to calm her down.

"It's possible that they were lying," Colette began, "but we can't jump to conclusions just because of all the betrayal going on around us. We need to handle this rationally- maybe through interviews with them or their fellow servants."

"Professor Low wouldn't think to question her own servants," Raine spoke, her grip on her spoon tightening. "She likes to imagine that she's in control of everything she touches. That, through science, she can control even other people… and gods, did I fall for it-"

"Then show her how wrong she is!" Seles exclaimed. "Wouldn't it be satisfying to get back at her by exposing the betrayal of her own servants right under her nose?"

Colette reached out to them, though she couldn't quite reach from the other side of the table. "This is not about revenge, Seles. It's about doing the right thing."

"No," Seles shot back, "it's about using whatever motivation is necessary to find the assassin-"

"Seles," Raine began, grabbing Seles' arm, "Colette is right. If I let myself be motivated by an idea of vengeance, I'll never heal from this. I shouldn't be doing it because I'm mad at Todd, I should be doing this because I care about Lloyd."

The group was quiet again, but this time the silence held more of a satisfied tone. Sheena nodded in Raine's direction before breaking in again.

"Let's finish eating. There's no sense in having empty stomachs- we have a lot to do."  
No one argued.


	34. Chapter 34

I'm sorry for my long absence! I've been having some troubles with my health recently, and it's been a bit of a struggle with having tests done and getting insurance to approve my new medication and such. It's messed up my moving plans somewhat, but thankfully I'm now getting the care I need and I'm feeling a lot better- so I'm happy to get back to writing! As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 140**  
 _Na tarraing a-riamh an claidheamh nuair a dh'obraicheas buille._  
Never draw your sword when a blow will do it.

34-

The little coffee shop at the corner of tenth street and southwest boulevard was more spacious on the inside than its storefront made it appear, with a second floor loft tucked away out of sight of the rest of the patrons. Usually that loft was filled with students or writers looking for a quiet work space, but with the recent events that had put the city in turmoil, it was deserted. Only one table had a patron sitting at it when Yuan walked in- but that was exactly the person he was there to see.

Felix and Margie addressed her first, and Yuan hung back to see what would happen. She looked up from her coffee and smiled. It was a very natural-looking smile, one that would likely appear genuine to someone who had not lived as long as Yuan had. But after millennia of observing such behaviors, he knew better.

"There you are! You have no idea how surprised I was to receive your message. I'd thought it would take you much longer to recover."

Felix let out a 'hmph!' and a disdainful turn of his head. "You know we're stronger than that."

"Yes, of course. I should've had more faith." Veronica leaned forward, resting her chin in her hands. "And who might this be?"

Yuan pulled his hood off of his head. "Yuan Ka-Fai," he responded with a nod. "I'm Song's business partner."

"Oh, I remember you! You're Adora's father. The one who… punched Zelos Wilder."

There was a note of criticism in her voice, and Yuan frowned. "I'm sorry if I got a little heated over the well-being of my _daughter-_ "

"No, no!" Veronica shook her head. "I shouldn't have sounded so accusatory. I was actually impressed. He deserved it."

Yuan slid a chair over and sat down beside her. "Hm. Perhaps we _will_ get along after all. On top of that, you're the one I have to thank for taking such good care of Adora."

"There's really nothing to thank me for," she laughed, waving a hand dismissively. "I just hope Sylvarant stays backwards long enough that I can stockpile more of that fantastic cough syrup before they outlaw it like Tethe'alla did. You ought to look into it."

And perhaps they _wouldn't_ get along. Yuan could feel his knuckles turn white as he clenched his fist, keeping himself from saying something he'd regret. "Sorry, I just assumed differently. Colette spoke highly of your abilities."

"Ah, sweet Colette," Veronica sighed with a pitying shake of her head. "At least she's pretty."

Yuan narrowed his eyes and immediately looked away to hide his disdain. "…right."

By this point Felix and Margie had pulled up chairs of their own and were settled at the table. "We won't waste any of your time," Margie began, "but we wanted to discuss your intentions regarding Lloyd Irving. Song said that he is fulfilling the Church's request by finishing what the assassin started. But…" She lowered her voice. "…was the assassination the work of the Church to begin with?"

Veronica frowned. "Margie, dear, surely you heard the radio broadcast. The assassin spoke in favor of the Alpha-Beta project when they-"

"Can it!" Felix snapped. "We want a straight answer. We know that you were the one all gung-ho about an assassination before Margie and I got hurt. Trying to pretend it wasn't your fault is going to get you nowhere."

Veronica's pleasant countenance began to fade. She crossed her fingers and set her hands down on the table. "My, my. You're so abrasive, as usual. Yes, the assassin was working under my orders. But it had to be done. Zelos Wilder began acting unpredictably once those friends of his arrived in town and I had to do something to reign in control. We were sure he was going to speak in favor of the Project, and we couldn't have that."

"But his statement was neutral," Yuan pointed out. "Why, then, did you go through with the assassination?"

There was the slightest pause in Veronica's voice, so brief one could almost miss it. "The hit had already been ordered. What Zelos said didn't matter."

"That doesn't make sense either. If he'd spoken in favor of the project, your assassin would've looked like a hypocrite by framing the scientific community. You knew that Zelos was going to make a statement of neutrality, and even then, you went through with the assassination attempt."

Veronica reexamined Yuan, this time with a more discerning eye. "Now, Mister Yuan, what's your angle on all this? Song may be a supporter of the Church, but he is not in any position to be making big decisions or criticizing our methods. Or are you perhaps on the other side of the argument, someone I should be wary of?"

"My loyalty lies with the Great Tree," Yuan responded with no hesitation. "I will do everything in my power to protect the World Tree Yggdrasil from harm, whatever form that harm may take."

"Then you already know that the greatest threat to the tree is this so-called _scientific progress_ that they're developing in Sylvarant. It's positively barbaric, as though the declining world's hunger for mana knows no end. Even the Great Tree is not enough for them. If it were possible to generate mana with machinery, how soon would their demand grow beyond the technology's ability to provide? The Sylvarantis are taking us down a dangerous path, Mister Yuan, and I'm not about to allow them to put this newly united world right back where it was-"

Yuan had heard enough. He cut Veronica off, his voice sharp.

"You do know that both lead scientists on the project were born in Tethe'alla, don't you?"

For the first time in the conversation, Veronica lost her composure long enough that someone could catch it with the unaided eye. She began with almost a stutter, "P-Professor Sage is-"

"She was born and spent her childhood in Heimdall. As a young woman, she was sent to Sylvarant via the Otherworldly Gate and began helping the Chosen prepare for her journey of regeneration." He paused and crossed his arms. "Do you actually check the veracity of anything you say, or do you pull all your worldviews straight from your ass?"

Margie gasped and reached over for him with a hissed " _Yuan!_ ," but Felix held her back with a whispered " _let him talk, Gie._ "

Veronica had managed to gather her composure again, though her hair was beginning to break free from its tight bun, and the veins on her hands were clearly visible. "For someone who claims to not be our enemy, Mister Yuan, your speech has an awfully antagonistic tone."

"You would be antagonistic too if you'd been through what I have." Yuan placed his hands on the table, lacing his fingers together. "I understand that trying to produce mana independently sets a dangerous precedent for a world that just regained the mana source needed to survive. No one wants to protect the Great Tree more than I do. But it's important to recall the reason for the destruction of the original tree. The war between Sylvarant and Tethe'alla created the perfect storm of conflict that led to the tree's demise. Mithos had some justification in splitting them, as you would a pair of toddlers who couldn't peacefully share a toy. The millennia of fighting over mana that resulted from that temporary time-out was unintended, but what does it say about the two worlds that after four-thousand years to think about what they did, they've been reunited half a decade and are already at each other's throats?"

His words struck the entire group speechless. Margie glanced away, but Felix held a stolid expression and Veronica scowled.

"You speak so strongly about what happened long ago, but don't seem to understand that we now know the dangers involved. We don't want to create unnecessary conflict. We just want to prove the dangers that these scientific projects pose to the Great Tree to prevent those dangers from coming to pass."

"Then focus on that!" Felix growled. "Not on killing innocent bystanders. Don't we have some members in service to the Low family working on a prototype of the mana generator? When can we get our hands on that?"

Yuan jerked his head in Felix's direction. "You didn't tell me this. Someone's trying to build a piece of technology from unfinished plans based on limited scientific data?"

"It's the only way to prove how dangerous this really is," Veronica replied. "And yes, they've just finished work on it and will be anonymously informing Professor Low of their plans tomorrow."

"And what plans are these?" Yuan asked.

"W-well," Margie began, "the plan was to threaten the scientific community with the use of their machine on the Great Tree."

"With _what_?"

"Relax, Mister Yuan," Veronica reassured him. "We have no intention of causing permanent harm to the tree. If the scientific community is prudent, they will stop us, thereby admitting that the technology they're developing is dangerous-"

"Of course it'll be dangerous!" Yuan threw up his hands. "Those plans are complete speculation from their initial tests. They haven't even gotten a small-scale prototype working!"

"Exactly. If something still in development causes some damage, imagine how much damage the finished project will cause."

"Th-that…" Yuan was starting to get a sinking feeling that he was talking to someone who was willfully ignorant rather than just inexperienced. "…that's not how product development works. The research process is to create something _less_ dangerous than the prototypes-"

"The specifics won't matter once we prove that the machine poses any threat," Veronica responded with a patient smile. "Even the slightest damage to the Great Tree will turn the public against the research."

"So you're willing to risk harm to the Tree in order to achieve your goal of _not_ harming the tree?"

Veronica's smile didn't waver. "The damage will be but a small sacrifice in order to save the Tree as a whole. You're clearly familiar with war. You know that sometimes sacrifices must be made. It's as simple as that."

There was quiet. Yuan knew what he had to do, but he also knew that after what he said, if he agreed too quickly it would look suspicious. He thought it over, frowning and shutting his eyes tightly. "Song is busy making sure the operation with Lloyd is successful. He won't be able to help. As such, I should at least be a proxy for his sake."

Veronica shook her head. "Song would not want anyone involved who isn't dedicated to the cause. Think over your reservations before you agree."

"No need." Yuan opened one eye to look back at her. "If there's one thing I know, it's the importance of sacrifices in achieving the greater good. If you're really sure this will help the tree, then I'm in."

The smile on Veronica's face took on a look of pride. "Well, then, let's talk details, shall we?"

* * *

As expected, Professor Low was dismissive of the idea that her own servants could be working against her. No matter what Sheena and Colette said- even backed up by Zelos' surprise at the truth over Veronica- she wouldn't pay them any mind. They wondered if perhaps she would give more credence to Raine, but Raine refused to talk to her, and no one was going to force her.

And so, with leads but no ability to follow them, the group went back to visit Lloyd that evening.

Lloyd was much more alert this evening, having insisted on moving to the couch so that Song could have his room back. When everyone arrived, Lloyd had his nose buried in one of Song's comic books, barely noticing the commotion in the entryway.

"Lloyd. Ye hae guests." It took Dirk to snap him out of his focus, but once he noticed who it was, he excitedly tossed the book away and pulled himself unsteadily to his feet.

"Finally! It's been so boring around here without you guys! Where've you been?"

Colette saw him begin to lose his balance, and she grabbed his arm so that she could sit back down on the couch with him. "What do you mean, boring? It looked like you were really interested in that book."

Raine laughed. "What kind of question is that, Colette? You know that Lloyd must have been _very_ bored if he was actually reading."

Lloyd stiffened. "Hey, those are actually pretty good! It's a story about a demigoddess and a dragon, and there are these reincarnated heroes facing an enemy from their former lives- _and_ , there's pictures on every page!"

Sheena picked up the book to keep the pages from getting creased where Lloyd had tossed it. She began flipping through it as she sat down on the opposite side of him from Colette. "Isn't that the point of a comic book? It's not exactly high-level reading."

"Hey," Zelos offered, nudging her shoulder, "a book is a book. I'm just glad to know that our Lloyd is actually literate."

"You guys are so mean! I'm not _that_ stupid!" Lloyd crossed his arms with a pout, and the whole group shared a laugh.

"...Sorry about being so late, though," Sheena began again as she flipped through the pages. "We probably should've come by in shifts to keep you company, but we were all so focused on searching for clues to the assassin's identity."

"And compensating for our lack of sleep last night," Genis added.

"It's okay," Lloyd laughed. "Dad kept me company. We… talked about a lot of important stuff. Dad, is it okay if I-?" His voice cut off, but Dirk understood.

"Tell yer friends whatever ye like. I dorn't like keepin' secrets." He gestured toward the door. "I'll gie ye kids some room. Anna is downstairs takin' a pottery lesson wi' Song, an' I'm curious tae see how it works. Dwarven pottery is- how should I put it?- a wee bit more _rudimentary_ than these fancy pieces Song cooks up."

"Thanks, Dad!" Lloyd waved with a smile. "We'll be here."

Dirk always descended the staircase with a degree of caution. He didn't like the way it creaked under his heavy build, as though it weren't made to handle someone of his stature. Dwarves might be short, but they were bulky, and human infrastructure sometimes wasn't quite up to the challenge. It was two stories down to Song's workshop, but Dirk could hear Song and Anna's voices by the time he was halfway down.

"Now, remember as you carve your designs that the most important aspect of Longquan-style celadon is the ability to mimic fine jade. You should carve elegant, precise images that will be captured well by the glaze. Usually pieces have images of flowers, fish, or dragons on them, but you're welcome to your own creativity in-"

"I'm gonna carve a smiley face into mine!"

"...that's, uh… that's certainly creative, Anna…"

Dirk knocked on the doorframe and peeked in. "Sorry tae interrupt yer creatife process. Lloyd's friends are upstairs an' I wanted tae gie them some room."

"Of course!" Song waved and smiled in his direction. "Do you want to carve a piece as well? It'd be amazing to see traditional celadon with designs from a Dwarven craftsman!"

Dirk shook his head. "I'm honored that ye'd offer, but I dae wanna waste onie o' yer clay. Yuan says ye buy it frae a kiln up in northern Tethe'alla, whaur they age th' clay frae several years afore usin' it."

"That's right! Letting the clay age allows it to develop the specific plasticity needed for this type of porcelaneous stoneware. It's impossible to find elsewhere!"

There was a soft chirp of surprise, and Anna looked over at them, her carving knife having just sunk into the surface of the plate. "...uh," she began, her face turning red, "is it really alright for me to be doing this, then?"

"Don't worry, Anna, dear! I offered, didn't I?" Song ran back to her side, looking over her shoulder. "Ooh, you cut a little deep there, didn't you?"

"S-sorry."

"No, we can fix it. Here. Let me show you."

Song placed his hand over Anna's and guided her with the knife to form a floral pattern in the bottom of the plate. Though it was her own hand creating the image, she was still wide-eyed as she watched the process. Song's movements were swift, steady, and precise. Before she knew it, a beautiful image had been etched into what had been just a blank plate.

Dirk couldn't help a smile as he watched. It had been a long time since he'd observed the skilled work of another craftsman, and it reminded him of long-ago days spent in his father's forge, watching his older sisters guided with pieces that he, at the time, could only dream of making.

"Song, that's amazing! You're so good at this!" Anna chimed. "Where'd you learn to carve like this?"

"I grew up in a village of kiln workers who specialized in traditional porcelain. Half-elves didn't do any of the actual artwork, but we processed the clay and managed the kiln fires. I grew up admiring the human artisans, spending all of my breaks watching the potters at work, dreaming of doing it myself despite the knowledge that a half-elf could never…" He chuckled and shook his head. "Of course, I got sent to the Franciscan Boy's Academy at the age of fourteen after the Tethe'allan government's mandated IQ testing identified me for a pre-medical track. I was devastated… but it turns out that working with a scalpel isn't too far removed from working with a carving knife. Funny to think they'd never have let me carve porcelain, but they'd happily let me cut up human patients." He took the plate and walked it back over to the drying rack where some of his other pieces sat waiting for glaze. "People are like intricate works of art. But saving a person's life is far more difficult than salvaging a damaged piece of clay. Even now that I've achieved my dream of making porcelain, I can't let myself forget the good I can do with my medical training. In the end, my dream is more selfish than I can fully comprehend, but-"

"Dwarven Vow 57," Dirk began, "people survife under th' shelter ay one another. It means 'at without cooperation an' mutual support, we as people could nae bide. Ye are alife because ay th' good 'at others dae for ye an' ye for them. E'en if ye aren't a doctor, ye're still aye doin' things for th' ones ye love."

Anna nodded. "Lloyd is alive thanks to you and the fact that you _don't_ work for the hospital. You were able to get an outsider's perspective and remove him from a dangerous situation. That shouldn't be overlooked."

A soft smile appeared on Song's face again. "Thank you, both of you. I want to do everything I can to help the people I love. As long as they're alive and healthy, I can say I haven't neglected my medical duties just for the sake of my own selfishness."

Anna nudged him with a smirk. "People like Yuan, you mean?"

That sent a blush across Song's face, and he turned his head away. "O-of course! As long as I can be by Yuan's side, supporting him and taking care of him, that's enough for me. It doesn't matter if he…"

" _Song_?"

The voice from the top of the staircase sent a jolt of surprise through Song, and his face grew even redder as he scrambled toward the open doorway. "Yuan! Hey, buddy! We were just talking about you. All good things, though, don't worry-"

Yuan stepped through the doorway, having to gently nudge Song aside. He didn't respond at all to Song's statement, his stern features set in a permanent scowl. "Oh, you two are here as well. Who's watching Adora?"

"She went to sleep about thirty minutes ago and Noishe has been with her the whole time," Anna answered. "Lloyd and his friends are up there now, so they'll know when she wakes up."

Yuan didn't respond with anything more than a curt nod and a sweeping motion for them to follow him up the stairs.

"Is there somethin' ye need frae us?" Dirk asked. "We were gettin' a pottery demonstration frae Song-"

" _Yes_ , there's something I need from you. Follow me, all of you. I'm glad to hear Lloyd's friends are here too- we'll need all the help we can get."

"So you…" Song began, "...you were able to get the details on the Church's next plans?"

"Yes. And it's not pretty."


	35. Chapter 35

Hello, again! I'm super-duper not good at this "updating" thing, but I'm still keepin' on, and that's what matters. (Now that school is back in session and I'm working again, I'm going to shoot for every two weeks with this story. Let's see how long I can keep it up! Go, go!) As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 64**  
 _Is uaisle am breid na toll._  
A patch is better than a hole.

 **35-**

They found Lloyd and his friends engaged in some sort of charades-esque game when they returned, though Yuan was quick to break it up in favor of a more serious conversation. There was groaning and complaining, but he silenced them as soon as he mentioned his connection with the Church of Mana. Suddenly this was less of an interruption and more of a call to action.

The room was crowded with Lloyd, Colette, and Sheena on the couch, and Zelos in the armchair. Genis sat on the arm of the couch next to Colette and Raine stood opposite him, leaning on the couch's back. Anna and Song sat on the floor next to the low table and Dirk stood in what space he could find. Yuan was left to stand halfway through the kitchen door, making it appear almost as though he were putting on a stage play. But the information he gave them was very real.

"We were right. There _are_ members of the Church in service to Professor Low," Raine spat once Yuan had filled them in on the details. "The nerve of her, telling you guys that you were stupid-"

"Not only are they working for her without knowing," Genis interrupted before she could get any angrier, "but they've been stealing her work right from under her nose. The scientist in her would be horrified, of course, but the control freak in her would be utterly _humiliated_."

Sheena nodded. "Right. After what she said today, I know she won't accept any of this without proof. And to get proof, we'd need her permission. So we're stuck."

"Not necessarily," Lloyd offered, raising his hand. "Don't she and Raine have, like, a thing going on-?"

Raine cleared her throat loudly. " _No_ , Lloyd. As of this morning, Professor Low and I no longer have a _thing_ going on."

There was an awkward moment of silence and Lloyd cringed. "O-oh. I'm sorry. That, uh, that's rough."

"Don't be sorry. It's not rough." Raine spoke with a stern voice, though she was making a point not to look at anyone. "I have no desire to ' _have a thing_ ' with a lying, backstabbing-"

"Hey, now!" Zelos interrupted. "Can we, uh, get back to the subject at hand? The problem is that these goons are stealing your research and building some awful contraption out of it. Instead of denying that you've got break-up rage, you should be directing that rage at these Church weirdos."

"I do NOT have-" Raine raised her voice as she began, but she cut herself off as she realized how loud she was being and returned to a normal tone. "Ah… perhaps you're right."

"Um, Yuan," Colette began, "how long do we have until this group attacks the tree?"

"They plan to meet Wednesday, mid-afternoon."

"Wednesday?" Lloyd gasped. "That's the day after tomorrow!"

"So they've already got their contraption ready, huh?" Zelos murmured. "Now the only question is, how much damage can that thing do?"

"If I have anything to say about it, it will do none," Yuan replied. "However, I'm not well-versed in the specifics of this project. Even if I got my hands on it, I don't have the ability to render the machine inert."

"Professor Raine could," Dirk pointed out.

"But how am I going to find it? I don't even know where they're keeping it."

Sheena looked up at her. "Doesn't Professor Low's mansion have a servants' quarters? If they live there, then it's likely they've hidden the device somewhere within their own rooms- somewhere where the master wouldn't think of going."

"Yes, but that would mean breaking in and passing through unnoticed," Raine argued. "I don't like that idea."

"From a moral standpoint, or a logistic standpoint? Because, logistically speaking, my ninja training could get us in and out with no problem."

Genis leaned over "...you sure? Because your _ninja skills_ have left a lot to be desired in the past."

Both Lloyd and Sheena jumped back with a response, nearly smothering Colette as they did so. "H-hey, that's uncalled for-" "Don't make fun of her skills-!"

Genis held his hands up in defeat. "Geez, I was just joking around."

"Now is not the time for jokes," Yuan responded. "Sheena, are you sure that you could escort yourself and Professor Sage into the servants' quarters undiscovered so that the two of you can find the machine?"

"Yes, I am."

"I can go with them!" Colette volunteered. "I know having another person will make it more difficult to hide our presence, but I'm good at creating distractions if it has to come to that. Besides, if the layout of the Low mansion is anything like the Wilder mansion, I can navigate you through with no trouble."

"They're not identical," Zelos began, "but they were built around the same time, so they have the same general layout. I could always go instead, since stealth hasn't ever been Colette's strong suit-"

"Hey!" Lloyd interrupted again. "What's with you guys being so condescending tonight-"

"No, he's right, Lloyd." Colette placed her hand against his arm. "He wasn't teasing, it was a genuine concern. But I promise, I'll be fine. Zelos is going to work with Professor Low to keep her distracted, right?"

Zelos paused and scratched the back of his head, looking over to Genis. "Uh, she did say we could come back tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, so long as we didn't try to bring in more ' _garbage_ ' about how her servants are conspiring against her." Genis let out a sigh. "Honestly, if she's not going to listen, we might as well come up with some bogus lead and run with it. All we've gotta do is keep her and her servants busy, right?"

"Bianca said that the servants she overheard talking about an assassination plot were working in the greenhouse," Raine offered. "Perhaps that's a place you could focus on."

Zelos closed his eyes, a pleased smile crossing his face. "Ah, a greenhouse. Now there's a place to be on a cold day."

"Then I guess it's settled!" Lloyd clapped his hands. "Sheena, Colette, and Raine will go infiltrate the servants' quarters and steal the machine while Zelos and Genis keep Professor Low busy! And I… I'll…" He stopped and let his voice trail off with a sense of defeat. "...stay here, I guess."

"Dirk and I will be here," Anna spoke up, turning so that she could smile at him. "We'll come up with plenty of fun things you can do to pass the time while you're healing."

"It's not about passing the time, it's about being useful," Lloyd replied with a shake of his head. "I hate that everyone else is working hard to fix these problems while I'm stuck here off my feet!"

"That's nae true an' ye know it," Dirk scolded. "Th' most helpful thin' ye can dae reit now is allow yerself tae heal. If ye hurt yerself further, ye could be unable tae help when we need ye th' most. Reit now yer friends hae th' situation under control. Ye should be grateful an' use 'at time to ensure ye'll be able tae pay them back someday suin."

Lloyd glanced down, fidgeting with his hands. "I know, Dad. I'm sorry."

"Besides that," Yuan added, "I don't want Professor Sage to _steal_ the machine. That would make it obvious that we've meddled with their plans and could lead to a conflict here in Meltokio. We just want to render it inert so that we can call their bluff and allow them to fulfil fake promises."

"I see," Sheena nodded. "That will also allow us to move the conflict outside of Meltokio so that we'll have a chance to escape with Lloyd."

"I was thinking the exact same thing!" Song spoke up, raising his hand so as to prove that he hadn't fallen asleep. "While we're involved with the conflict at the Great Tree, you guys can escort Lloyd back to, uh, wherever you're taking him."

"Iselia Forest," Dirk answered. "We'll use th' rheiards tae gie him back tae my house. He can spend lae ay his recovery thaur."

Genis waved in Dirk's direction. "I'll help with Lloyd. I can leave the city Wednesday morning and bring the rheiards just outside."

"I'll go too," Raine volunteered. "Genis and I will be waiting outside the city gates so that once you leave, we can start flying immediately."

"That's very kin' ay ye." Dirk closed his eyes and scratched his chin through his beard the way he did when he was thinking things over. "But we can't assume 'at all ay uir enemies will hae left th' city. This _Church of Mana_ seems tae hae a raither wide influence. Perhaps we should keep th' sewer route in min'."

Zelos sat up straighter. "How do _you_ know about the sewer route? Who's been telling people about my secret passage?!"

"It wasn't us!" Lloyd defended. "Noishe led him in through the sewers."

"That Noishe!" Zelos groaned. "I should've known I couldn't trust him with a secret-"

Yuan cleared his throat, waving one hand to get the group's attention. "I believe that, with this information presented, we can work out the details of the separate groups amongst ourselves. Song and I will go to the Great Tree with the Church members in order to work damage control. The rest of you are free to help Lloyd however you choose." He turned toward the hallway and started down that way again, waving for Song to follow. "I'm going to check on Adora. We can discuss things further in my room, Song."

"Okay!" Song scurried after him, so fast that he was gone by the time Zelos' statement began, and Zelos had to call out for them to hear.

" _Remember, you have a child with you! No funny business!_ "

There was only silence and the sound of a door closing. Anna began to laugh, covering her mouth so that she wouldn't be too loud.

"Wow, no response from Yuan. I guess he's totally stopped caring by this point."

Lloyd glanced at her, then at Zelos, then back down the hall. "I don't get it. Do Yuan and Song have a _thing_ going on?"

"Nah, I'm just being a tease," Zelos replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. "With all that's happening, we've gotta find some way to lighten the mood."

Anna pulled herself to her feet, her smile softening from the earlier laughing fit. "He's right! We can't let all of this conflict overwhelm us. If we do, then we're letting the enemy win before the battle even starts. At least, that's what my grandmother used to say."

"True, but we can't overlook th' need for a plan." Dirk stepped forward so that he could better address the whole group. "We need tae figure out whit range ay motion Lloyd has sae 'at we dorn't risk his injuries worsenin' durin' transport. I know ye're tired, Lloyd, but can ye-"

"I'm not tired." Lloyd stood up, this time separating his feet further to help him keep his balance. "In fact, I'm feeling fantastic! It doesn't even hurt."

"You took some strong pain medication only an hour ago, and it's obviously still in effect" Anna explained. "If you try to push yourself now, you could hurt yourself without realizing it. We should wait until the medication begins to wear off before testing anything."

"Shouldn't we ask Song for help with this?" Genis asked. "He's the expert."

"We'll ask Song to do an assessment later tonight before Lloyd goes to sleep," Anna replied with a nod. "For now, you all should just enjoy each other's company. You've been through a lot, and there's still a lot to be done."

"Yeah, that first part is true," Zelos sighed, leaning backwards in the chair. "I could use a good distraction. Lloyd, lemme see that comic book. The way you described it earlier, I'm interested."

"Yeah, sure!" Lloyd got up again, holding out the book and stumbling over to Zelos. "We can read it together. I'll give you the rundown, because this is actually a sequel series and you might not understand the characters right away, but this one is way better, so you might as well start here-"

Zelos laughed as Lloyd continued, scooting over so that Lloyd could sit beside him in the chair. "Calm down there, hunny. Don't hurt yourself. We'll have plenty of time to read while you're recovering."

"But the new issue comes out in two weeks! You've gotta get caught up so we can read the new one together."

A relieved laugh passed through the group, and Anna looked up at Dirk with a smile. "I guess that's enough planning for the night."

"Dwarven Vow 10: play hard, play aft," Dirk replied with a wink. "There's a reason 'at's my favorite."

"Really? Lloyd always said your favorite was 94."

"94? 'At ain is…" He paused and then came to a sudden realization. " _Lloyd, 'at's not funny-!_ "

* * *

The Low family's butler ushered in Zelos, Genis, and Bianca, who had insisted on coming with them so that she could see Professor Low. Even though she had heard the story from Genis, she wasn't satisfied with it. She held Professor Low in too high regard to believe it. And so, neither Genis nor Zelos could think of a reason she couldn't come with them. Any extra distraction for Professor Low would be welcome, in any case.

"The mistress is running late this morning. She will be here once all her guests have arrived."

Zelos frowned. " _All_ her guests? Who else has she invited?"

"Lord Emmett Wilbur, the Marquess of Avery, assistant director of the Meltokio Treasury Council. She had questions for him regarding her search for the assassin."

"That's-" Zelos began, his face turning pale. "Oh _no._ "

"You know him?" Genis asked.

"...he's my cousin," Zelos replied with a heavy-hearted sigh. "Somebody I'd really rather not see."

"Why?" Bianca asked. "If he's your cousin, aren't you friends?"

"It doesn't quite work like that," Genis replied. "Just because someone is family doesn't mean that, well…"

Genis' voice trailed off, and Zelos nodded, giving Bianca a pat on the head. "Emmett and I used to be friends a long time ago. Maybe someday we could be friends again. But right now, he's a bad person and if I spend too much time with him, I'm afraid it might make me a bad person too."

Bianca frowned. "But if you're a good person and he's a bad person, maybe you could make _him_ a good person instead of the other way 'round."

There was a pause and Zelos turned away. "If I _were_ a good person, maybe that would work. But I'm not-"

He was cut off as Bianca grabbed hold of his legs, squeezing him in a tight hug. "I think Zelos is a good person! Even if you did some bad stuff before, it doesn't mean that you're bad. Your heart is good. That's how come I think Professor Low is a good person too. Even if she did bad stuff, her heart is good."

Genis knelt down next to Bianca, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I think that… there are a lot of ways to describe people. _Good_ and _bad_ are such basic concepts, it's hard to categorize something as complex as a person under such simple terms. We do good and bad things, but no one is truly good or bad."

"I don't get it," Bianca murmured with a vacant expression.

"Of course you don't," Zelos answered with a shrug. "It's something you learn as you grow up. No one expects a seven-year-old to understand the intricacies of morality. Most adults don't. Just stick with the view you find best."

Bianca responded with a stern nod. "Then I'll keep thinking Zelos and Professor Low are good people."

"...you really are an interesting kid, you know that?"

Genis sighed and started back toward the sitting area. "It sounds like Professor Low is going to be a while. Why don't we sit down and get our stories straight so that we don't say something we shouldn't once she arrives?"

"You say that like we have something to hide," Zelos laughed, giving Genis a slap on the back. "Keep lying like this and you'll set a terrible example for your little sister-in-law."

"Between your lack of tact with the relationship and your obvious hypocrisy, I don't know what to criticize first."

Zelos continued to laugh as they walked, and Bianca latched onto Genis' legs asking "what's a _sister-in-law_?"

"It's the sister of someone's spouse," Zelos answered, patting Bianca on the head. "So, when I marry Colette, Seles will become her sister-in-law. And when your sister marries Genis, you'll become his sister-in-law-"

Genis' face flashed red.

" _D-don't say things like that so casually!_ "

As they made themselves comfortable in the sitting area, Genis and Zelos continued their good-natured argument while Bianca followed along excitedly. Before they managed to turn the conversation back to its original topic, the butler arrived once again, with a guest in tow.

"-the mistress will be here shortly. In the meantime, please make yourself comfortable."

The casual air of the response was a stark contrast to the butler's professional demeanor. "Thanks, man! Will do!"

Zelos cringed and looked up toward the doorway. "Emmett."

" _Zelos?_ " Emmett stopped just short of the couch, glancing over the scene in front of him. "What's _this_ motley crew? Are you babysitting these two kids?"

Genis bristled. "I'm _not-_ "

Zelos shoved a hand in front of him before he could finish the sentence. "Hey, now. These two are my pals. This is Genis and his little sister, Bianca."

"She-" Genis started again, but he noticed the look of disinterest in Emmett's eyes and gave a sigh of resignation. Bianca scooted close to his side, hugging his arm, so he nodded in her direction before turning back to the others. "I mean... you're Zelos' cousin, right? It's nice to meet you."

Emmett examined them for a moment and then turned back to Zelos without even responding to them directly. "Siblings, huh? They don't look it. You sure the little one's not _yours_? She's got that Wilder red hair."

Zelos opened his mouth to send back a sharp retort, but he reconsidered as he realized it probably wasn't the kind of thing he should be saying in front of a 7-year-old. "Joke all you like, but they're better company than you ever were."

"Ouch. You can't hate me that much, can you?" Emmett laughed and shrugged it off. "Though, maybe that's just a compliment on their part. It's nice to meet you guys. _Bianca_ , he said, right?" He knelt down next to the couch so that he could address her on eye-level. "You're a real cutie, y'know that? I'm Emmett Wilbur. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Bianca leaned forward curiously. "My name is Wilbur too."

"Oh really? It's a common surname among half-elves in Tethe'alla, especially around the Toize valley area where my father's the duke. It probably means your family used to work for my family. Pretty cool, huh?"

"My mama and sister used to work for some fancy place in Tethe'alla. So maybe-"

"Don't humor him, Bianca," Zelos warned. "Trust me, this is not the kind of guy you want to hang out with. _Especially_ if you're a little girl."

Bianca frowned, the meaning of the statement lost on her, but Genis caught the implication from Zelos' gaze and instinctively shielded Bianca with his arm. Emmett frowned and looped one arm around Zelos' shoulders, pulling him to the side.

"Hey, man," he began in a whisper, "it's not like that. It never _was,_ it was just..." Emmett shook his head. "Now that I'm grown, I've seen the light. It's _older_ women who are the real catch. Why d'you think I'm here?"

Zelos was trying to keep a deadpan expression through Emmett's speech, but the last bit caught him off-guard. "What the hell are you talking about? Professor Low invited you as a consultant from the treasury council, right?"

"Yeah, to-" Emmett made an exaggerated quotation gesture "- _give her financial advice._ But you've made house calls before. You know how it is. I heard a rumor that she's newly single from a broken engagement, and then all of a sudden I got a message from her inviting me over. All my pals who attended the Imperial Research Academy talked about what a hottie she was, and how _everyone_ wanted to take her courses even though she was a pretty shitty teacher. There's no way I'm gonna pass up the chance to score with somebody like this!"

Zelos stared, his mouth hanging open slightly as he worked to come to terms with what Emmett was saying. "You… you don't know anything about Professor Low, do you?"

"I know she's a total babe!"

"And you also know she's a lesbian, right?"

There was a pause. Emmett frowned and looked around the room as though he were searching for the punchline to a joke that wasn't there. He glanced over at Genis and Bianca, who had started their own conversation and weren't paying any attention to the two cousins, and he was finally forced to look back and confront Zelos. "...what?"

"Lesbian. Homosexual. Only interested in women. I don't know how much clearer I can make this for you, Emmett."

"Z-Zelos, you…" Emmett started with a nervous laugh, avoiding eye contact. "...you know you shouldn't joke about things like that. Why else would she call me here right after a break-up?"

Zelos briefly considered a more abrasive approach, but he kept his temper in check, deciding Emmett wasn't worth the energy it would take to yell at him.

"The fact that she and her girlfriend broke off their engagement has nothing to do with the fact that she needs economic advice from a member of the treasury council. If that's what she asked you here for, you can be sure it's actually what she wants."

There was a long pause, and Emmett's face went pale. "...oh, come _on_. I'm on vacation. I don't want to _work_. I'd better get out of here before-"

" _Hello? Genis, Zelos? Arthur said you were here…"_

Professor Low appeared at the top of the staircase, looking down at the group. Her eyes lit up as she saw all of them, and she started down the stairs two-at-a-time.

"Oh, Marquess Wilbur, you're here too! This is perfect. We can all talk together. I had some questions about records at the treasury council."

Emmett tried to bolt, but Zelos grabbed him by the wrist and he was forced to stop momentarily, waving his free hand. "U-uh… sorry, I had something come up last minute and I was only stopping by to tell you that I couldn't make it-"

"But _I_ had some of my people take care of it," Zelos broke in. "So there's no trouble at all. Emmett is happy to help us get whatever information you're looking for, Professor."

Professor Low seemed oblivious to the conflict between the two cousins- either that, or she was purposefully trying to ignore it, as it seemed to have been settled in her favor. "That's wonderful to hear. You're a life-saver, Zelos."

"Heh, I do what I can."

Bianca latched onto Professor Low's leg, and Low affectionately scooped the girl up in her arms. "Now, then! Let's all go somewhere we can discuss this privately. I've cleared the second floor conference room just for this meeting."

"Th-that's fantastic, Professor Low," Genis answered, following after her up the stairs, "but we also have some hypotheses that we'd like to explore in your greenhouse."

"The greenhouse? That's unexpected, but I suppose it isn't out of the question. Of course we can…"

The three of them continued their conversation as they climbed the steps, but Zelos and Emmett stayed behind a moment. Zelos looked over at Emmett with a glare.

"Don't try anything funny. This is important to her, and you'll treat it like it's important to you. Understand? If not for Professor Low, then for me- on the orders of the _Chosen_."

Emmett snatched his hand back as Zelos' grip on his wrist loosened. He turned away, crossing his arms.

"I did _not_ sign up for this."

"Technically you did. It's not her fault you misinterpreted the invitation."

"Zelos, you-" Emmett spun around on his heels, giving a huff of frustration. "-you used to be cool! But ever since you started hanging out with half-elves and people from Sylvarant, you've just become _the worst_."

The room went silent for a moment. Zelos narrowed his eyes.

"In case you haven't noticed, I've _always_ been 'the worst.' Now let's get going. We don't want to keep the professor waiting."

For once, Emmett didn't have a rebuttal. He simply followed after Zelos, dragging his feet the whole way.


	36. Chapter 36

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 127:  
** _Bidh an seabhag tàlantach a 'falach a spuirean._  
The talented hawk hides its claws.

 **36** -

"...are you sure we don't need to wear anything special?" Colette asked, tugging at the hem of her dress as she examined it. Her father and grandmother had arrived in Meltokio that morning, and she was so preoccupied with welcoming them that when she'd left home that morning, she had put on her usual pink gloves and brightly-colored scarf without even thinking. "I thought that ninjas wore… y'know, special ninja clothes."

Sheena laughed, stopping to let Colette catch up so that she could give her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You're fine the way you are, Colette. It's not like we're infiltrating a high-security facility. It's just a friend's house-" She stopped herself, glancing nervously over at Raine.

"It's fine. _You_ can be friends with her," Raine answered, though it sounded a little forced. "It reflects well on your character that you can still be civil towards her after what she did."

Sheena frowned and glanced toward Colette, unsure of how to respond. This was nothing- they'd had far worse betrayals before, from a variety of people they'd trusted. But this time it was different for Raine than it was for anyone else. Even Genis, who had also been hurt by Low's betrayal, seemed at least a little sympathetic to her reasoning. But Raine was merciless, and while no one wanted to say it, everyone was afraid that it might be more of an emotional response than a logical one.

They approached the Low mansion normally, but instead of entering via the front door, they walked around to the back garden. The fence that surrounded the entire property was forbidding, but Sheena was leading the way with an expression that made it clear she knew what she was doing, so Colette and Raine didn't ask any questions. Finally, she came to a stop along a long, straight stretch of fence. Sheena pulled a pair of talismans from her pocket and held them up.

"Alright, you two, I want you to follow my directions carefully. When I tell you, you both need to grab the back of my collar and follow as close to me as possible. We can't get separated while we're moving, or else it could end badly. Understand?"

"What are we doing?" Colette murmured, her voice wavering. "I thought this wouldn't be dangerous-"

"It's a ninja technique to briefly create a bend in space. It's how we seem to appear or vanish into thin air- we usually disguise it with a smoke bomb so that the space-bend isn't visible and we can get out of sight before our target's vision returns. Using that, we can bypass things like fences and walls that are blocking our path." Sheena motioned to the fence as she whispered, looking back and forth between Colette and Raine to make sure they understood. "Though the bend can only connect spaces a certain distance apart, and can only stay open a certain amount of time. If we get separated, you might still be in it when it closes, and get dumped somewhere in the middle. Let's just say… getting impaled by a fence post because you accidentally reappeared in the wrong location would _not_ help our mission right now."

Colette's face took on a look of disgust, but Raine was fascinated. "I see! I wondered about your technique, and just what the smoke bombs were meant to distract from. I assumed it was a form of sleight-of-hand, but I wasn't completely sure-"

"We can discuss this later!" Sheena interrupted. "Our mission right now is to get in and find the illegal prototype as fast as possible."

Raine blushed. "R-right. My apologies."

Colette reached out and put her hand on the back of Sheena's collar. "We'll hold on tight, so don't worry about us. Just focus on your ninja... magic-y... stuff."

Sheena smiled at the sound of Colette's phrasing. She'd been spending too much time with Lloyd. "Alright, I'm going to open up the bend. Don't let go until I say so, alright?"

"Alright."

Raine placed her hand on the back of Sheena's collar and gripped it tightly. Sheena closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and chanting the incantation under her breath. She felt the familiar sensation of the space in front of her giving way, and followed the path just as she always did. The feeling of her companions pulling at her threw her off, but only slightly. By the time she could even think enough to worry, they had already reached their destination. Sheena dissolved the bend with a flick of her wrist, and the world around them fell into place again.

"Okay, you can let go now."

Colette glanced around and clapped her hands in excitement. "Wow, we really are in the garden! It's like we walked right through the fence!"

"We did, in a way," Sheena replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "But don't be so loud. We're inside now, so someone might hear you."

"R-right." Colette placed her hands over her mouth, changing her voice to a whisper. "...so this is the back garden, huh? Zelos was right, it's the same style as his manor. Not exactly the same, but pretty close."

"So you can lead us to the servants' quarters?" Raine asked.

"Yeah, they're this way. Follow me!"

Colette led the way toward the manor, finding a door along the smaller building on the southern side of the estate. She had no trouble opening it, and the three entered to find themselves in a kitchen area. A man was working to roll out some kind of dough, but he stopped and looked at the group that had suddenly appeared, his face blank in surprise.

"...are you ladies lost?"

"We're sorry to interrupt you," Sheena spoke up before either of the others could, "we're guests of Professor Low and she asked us to retrieve something from the garden. She gave us directions, but we got a little turned around. Now that we know where we are, we can find our way back."

"Alright, then." The man turned back to his work. "Let me know if you need any more help."

"Thanks. We will."

From there, Sheena started leading the way. Colette seemed a little confused, so Sheena grabbed her hand and pulled her along. Once they made it out into the hallway, she stopped and looked at Colette and Raine in turn.

"If you can't avoid detection entirely, then avoid detection by appearing that you belong," Sheena explained. "If you look and act confident, people believe you."

"That's a fascinating tactic. I didn't expect such advice from a ninja," Raine commented. "The general stereotype is that you can turn invisible at will. But I suppose that's scientifically inaccurate."

Sheena grinned and shrugged in response. "There's more than one way to be invisible."

As she said that, Colette had already begun to wander down the hallway, peeking into doors as she went. Sheena scrambled to catch up, and Raine followed slowly behind, still glancing around cautiously. The building was empty, however, and they spent much of the morning searching the rooms for any sign of a machine matching the description from the most recent Alpha-Beta project publication.

"...do the servants actually live here?" Raine finally asked after they'd searched a few rooms. "These rooms seem awfully small, and there's no decorations or personal belongings."

"No, no!" Colette responded, and then stopped herself to lower her voice. "I mean, if it's anything like the Wilder mansion, then only certain servants are live-in. Sebastian lives with them as well as the chief maid, Grace, and Seles' servants Tokunaga and Veronica. These extra rooms are called the servants' quarters because most servants lived in the manor with their employers when these types of mansions were first built, but nowadays the rooms are used by employees as storage spaces and places to spend their breaks."

"That's good," Raine responded with a sigh of relief. "These look like the student dormitories at the Palmacosta University. It's fine enough for students living on their own, but for grown adults with families, it's…" She stopped and shook her head. "Sorry. To- er, _Low_ just has so many half-elves working for her, I didn't want to imagine that these were their living conditions."

Sheena perked up. "If that's the case, then shouldn't we be looking in the quarters of the live-in servants? According to Yuan, Veronica implied that the prototype was being kept in the manor. So wouldn't that have been done by someone who lives here?"

"Not necessarily," Raine replied. "In fact, I'd sooner search these rooms than those of the live-in servants. Even if the servants building this thing _do_ live here, it's unlikely they'd keep it somewhere it can be traced to them if discovered."

"Ah, right. I hadn't thought of it that way."

As they spoke, Colette had moved to the corner, rummaging through a trunk at the foot of one of the beds. "Hey, there's a bunch of books in this one. I wonder if they're scientific articles."

"You think so?" Sheena knelt down next to her, glancing over her shoulder as she opened one. "If they are, we might be looking in the right direction."

Raine took a tentative step toward them. "I'd be careful with books that you found in someone's private trunk-"

Before she could finish with her warning, Colette let out a high pitched yelp and tossed the book back into the trunk. Sheena slammed the trunk closed and shot to her feet. "Th-those _aren't_ science books."

Raine sighed. "Sorry. I should've said something earlier."

"I-I have a lot of questions…" Colette stammered. "...Sheena, what were they doing with-"

"H-how would I know something like that?!"

"Well, you and Lloyd have-"

"Not anything like _that_! That was just… just…"

" _Girls._ " Raine clapped her hands, cutting off their conversation. "I'll be happy to give you an educational talk later. But right now we have more important things to think about. Let me see that trunk."

"Huh?" Sheena took a step back, allowing Raine to approach the trunk and open it again. "What about it-?"

"When you started rummaging through it, it didn't look like it extended very far. It's very possible that the trunk has a false bottom and is designed to hide somethi-" She stopped, catching a glimpse at one of the books. Her nose wrinkled in disgust. "Ugh, I hope this is just meant as a distraction. No one should ever read this garbage, and you girls _definitely_ shouldn't be getting any ideas from this."

"Oh, thank goodness," Colette murmured, breathing a sigh of relief. "I was worried there for a minute."

"Of course. This author clearly doesn't know what that technique _is,_ much less how to write it properly. I'll be happy to recommend something much better quality if you two are intererested in-"

"Raine, look! You're right- the bottom of the trunk doesn't go all the way down." Sheena pointed, all too happy for a reason to cut Raine's statement short. "There must be a hidden compartment, if we can find out how to get to it."

"The upper portion is probably removable through some means," Raine said, beginning to pull the books out and set them aside. "But it'll probably be heavy, so I'll need your help."

"Oh, I can get it! I'm good at lifting heavy things!" Colette piped up, finally recovering from her earlier shock. "Just tell me what to do."

"First we'll have to expose the edges of the upper portion. It looks like that has to be done by unlatching the sides here, but that'll require a key of some sort… Colette, could I borrow one of your barrettes?"

"Here."

Colette unclipped one of her flower-shaped pins and handed it over. Raine took the sharp end of the pin and placed it in the front keyhole, fidgeting with it for a few tense moments. Her expression was confident at first, but it began to drop as she continued, growing more and more frustrated the longer she worked. Sheena knelt down next to her and pointed at the lock.

"Try angling it upward. Sometimes the key goes in upside-down."

Raine scoffed. "With all due respect, do you think this is my first time picking locks?"

"Sorry, I was just trying to help. We don't want to break the lock and let them know we've been in here."

"This is a sturdy lock. The barrette will break before it does."

Colette's eyes widened. "H-hey! Lloyd made these for me! They're a matching pair. If one breaks-"

"-then he can fix it," Raine finished, gritting her teeth as she continued to struggle with the lock.

"But if the tip of the pin breaks off and gets stuck in the lock-" Sheena began, but before she could finish, there was an audible click and Raine stopped. She grabbed hold of the handles on the side of the box and pulled. The sides of the box shifted a little, but she wasn't strong enough. "Colette?"

"Right!" Colette leaned over the front of the box where Raine was sitting and pulled on the handles. The side panels on the box slid up, pulling the upper portion of the box with them and revealing the hidden chamber underneath.

"...oh." Colette frowned as she looked at the hidden chamber. "It's not a machine after all. Just some sort of… _can_ …?"

"No." Raine shook her head, her voice wavering as she spoke. "That's it."

"Colette, set that part of the trunk aside," Sheena instructed. "Let Raine handle this- it could be dangerous."

"Yes, of course!"

Colette nodded and shuffled to the side carrying the upper portion of the trunk. She moved in between the two beds so that she could set it down by the dresser, but her foot hit the leg of the left bed and knocked her off balance. She tumbled forward, holding the trunk over her head to save it from falling onto the floor and making a loud noise. Unfortunately, she stumbled directly into the dresser, and the trunk compartment slammed into the top, hooking onto the top drawer handle and knocking off the lamp that was sitting on it. Colette instinctively dove to the side to catch the lamp, letting go of the trunk, and as she did so the entire dresser fell forward pulled by the weight of the trunk. The lamp was safe in Colette's arms, but the dresser and trunk made an enormous clamor as they crashed into the floor.

Sheena and Raine looked up, their eyes wide. Their first instinct was to make sure that Colette was okay, but once they noticed her sitting to the side, unharmed and hugging the lampshade, they could begin to worry about their own situation.

The room went deathly quiet. No one dared to make a sound or even move. The first voice they heard was a fourth one, yelled in disbelief as the door to the room swung open.

"What is going _on_ in here?!"

* * *

The city-wide state of emergency had been lifted early on Monday, but it took until Tuesday for most people to feel comfortable walking the streets of Meltokio again. Once that happened, relieved tourists headed out in droves, determined to make up for lost time before their holiday was over. Song took the chance to open up the pottery shop, and within a few hours the place was buzzing. He was so busy, he almost didn't notice a familiar face arrive at the door- with a less-familiar face in tow.

"Dirk! You're back!" Song waved from the front counter. "Is this the friend you went to see?"

"Aye. He jist arrifed wi' his maither-in-law this mornin'." Dirk smiled and motioned over. "Frank, this is Song, th' doctor I wis tellin' ye abit. Song, this is Fran-"

"Wait, wait, don't tell me!" Song interrupted, leaning over the counter to get a better look. "You're… Colette's brother!" There was an awkward pause, as though Song were waiting for some kind of reaction, but Frank just sort of stared at him in confusion and he was forced to backtrack. "Haha, I-I was just kidding. It was a compliment. But you _are_ her dad, right? Colette's, I mean."

"Ah, that's right." Frank bowed apologetically. "Sorry, I was just surprised. How did you know? Dirk said he hadn't mentioned me, so I expected I'd need to introduce myself."

"Are you kidding? You don't have to say a word. Colette's the spitting image of you!"

The statement gave Frank pause. He blushed and smiled, glancing away. "I... can't tell you how happy it makes me to hear that. I- _we_ \- owe you so much. Thank you for everything, Dr. Lu-"

"Aw, don't be so formal! You can call me Song."

"Oh! Well, thank you for everything, Song-" Frank stopped as he noticed a woman approaching the counter with a bowl set. "I'm sorry, I won't keep you from your customers. It was nice meeting you."

"Aww, you're not staying?"

"He an' Phaidra ur gettin' a tour ay th' city frae Hazel. He jist wanted tae come by an' say thanks fer… ah, all yer hard work."

Song offered a friendly wave. "Well, enjoy the city, then! Drop by anytime you'd like to visit!"

Dirk walked Frank back to the door, giving him a pat on the back. "Noishe'll shew ye th' way."

"Are you sure you don't want to join us? Hazel said she'd be happy for you to come along."

"Nae, I'm sure. I'd raither stay wi' Lloyd. Besides, th' lest time I walked aroond th' city, fowk got scared. It's raur tae see a Dwarf oan the surface at aw nowadays, much less in a large city _._ I'm content tae lie law an' stay by my son's side until I'm sure he's safe."

"That's fine, then. Say hello to Lloyd for me."

"Will dae."

Dirk left the shop area to climb up to the apartment. He arrived in the kitchen to find Lloyd and Anna at the table, papers strewn all over the tabletop. Yuan was at the stove cooking breakfast, but upon noticing Dirk's arrival, he stopped and looked up.

"Oh, thank goodness. Please talk some sense into these two- they're driving Adora and me crazy."

"Drivin' ye crazy? Wi' what?"

"Hey," Lloyd defended, tipping Adora's bassinet toward Dirk so that he could see, "don't complain for Adora's sake. She's asleep."

Anna held up the paper she was writing on, showing off a short list. "We're discussing names," she explained. "Lloyd thought that, since he can't go out right now, he could make himself useful by helping Kratos and me think up names for the baby."

"Names? Awreddy?" Dirk asked.

"That's what I said," Yuan agreed. "Six weeks is a little early to start shortlisting names."

"I'm seven weeks, actually."

"Oh _wow_ , Anna, that makes a _world_ of difference."

Dirk laughed and took a seat beside Lloyd, leaning over to take a look at his list. "Well, I'll bite. Whit names hae ye gotten sae far?"

"Don't encourage them!" Yuan started to protest, but the tea kettle started to whistle and he had to turn his attention back to the stove. In the meantime, Lloyd began reading off his list.

"For a girl, we came up with… Cleopatra, Odalys, Idonea, or Alvina."

"And for a boy," Anna continued, "Esmund, Ishmael, Corwin, or Gonzales."

"That last one was my idea!" Lloyd raised his hand, a proud smile on his face. "What do you think?"

There was a long pause as Dirk carefully considered his words. "They're quite… unique," he finally spoke. "Whaur'd they come frae? Onie special meanin' tae them?"

"We just kinda thought them up," Lloyd replied with a shrug. "They're cool-sounding, right? We want to give the baby an awesome name."

Yuan coughed, poorly concealing a negative comment, but neither Lloyd nor Anna seemed to notice. Dirk, on the other hand, couldn't resist a smile. "They're fine names. Whit matters is that ye gie th' child a name wi' love."

Anna and Lloyd looked at one another, both beaming. Anna picked up a pencil again and scooted her chair closer to Dirk. "If it's not too much trouble, would you be willing to give us some suggestions too?"

"Me?" Dirk asked.

"Of course! It might be nice to give the baby a traditional Dwarven name, after all."

Dirk closed his eyes and smiled. "Hm… well, if ye insist upon it.,. I'd say, fer a boy, Cinàed. An' fer a girl, Eireann."

"Wow, that was fast," Yuan spoke up with a half laugh. "Have you just been holding onto those, waiting for a chance to use them?"

Dirk knew it was meant to be a joke, and while he forced a laugh, the melancholy in his voice came through ever so slightly. "Aye, in a matter o' speakin. I've been holdin' ontae these fer a lang time."

"They're both lovely," Anna broke in. "What do they mean?"

"Cinàed was my faither's name. It means 'born in fire,' an' he was aye as guid a smith as they come," Dirk spoke, his eyes closed in remniscience. "An' Eireann was my sister, his prized pupil. Her name means 'abundant land,' a guid name fer anyone workin' wi' th' earth."

There was a pause as both Lloyd and Anna added the names to their lists. Lloyd sighed, his smile softening with affection. "I like those names a lot."

"I will admit, I chose them in th' hope that my child would tak' up th' smithin' tradition," Dirk replied, "but I ken that a child has tae follow his ain path."

Lloyd leaned over, pressing his shoulder against Dirk's. "But your son _did_ take up the smithing tradition."

"Aye, he's startin' oot well enough," Dirk answered, nudging Lloyd back. "Bit he's got a lang road ahead o' him. He'd best nae get tae comfortable whaur he is."

" _Dad."_ Lloyd laughed, straightening up in his seat, and Dirk reached up to give his hair an affectionate tousle. Anna, meanwhile, turned around in her chair and looked at Yuan.

"What about you, Yuan? Do you have any suggestions?"

"You're asking me?" He scoffed in reply. "I have no desire to intrude on your lovey-dovey family moment."

"Oh, come on, Yuan!" She sat up on her knees, leaning on the back of the chair. "You're family too!"

Lloyd scooped Adora out of the bassinet and held her to face Yuan, taking one of her hands between his fingers and waving it. "Say ' _that's right, Daddy! We're all family._ "

Adora didn't seem to be echoing Lloyd's voice for her, instead whining and flailing in irritation that she'd been woken up. Yuan reached for her, pulling her from Lloyd's arms and rocking her against his chest.

"Alright, you win. If you'll agree never to do that to her again, I'll give you a name."

"R-right." Lloyd blushed. "I won't do it again."

Yuan nodded. "Then you can put the name _Lei_ on your list."

"Lei?"

"Yes. It's a girl's name, written with the character for _flower bud_."

Anna wrote it down, smiling as she did so. "How pretty! Why that name, though? Is it special to you?"

"Not particularly." It was a lie and Yuan knew they could tell, but Anna didn't push further and Lloyd and Dirk followed suit. Yuan continued rocking Adora gently to lull her back to sleep, and she was soon content enough that he was able to put her back in the bassinet. As he arranged the blankets around her, Lloyd spoke up again.

"So how about a boy's name?"

"Huh?"

"Well, Dad gave us both a girl's name and a boy's name. So you can give us two names too."

Yuan frowned. "A boy's name, huh? What's so special about separating boys' and girls' names anyway? Why not just make a list of neutral names to use no matter what?"

Anna slid her chair back and swatted at him. "Hey! That's a sound argument on societal gender roles, so don't use it as just an excuse not to participate in family events."

"Alright, _fine_." Yuan sighed, returning to the stove so that he could plate up everyone's breakfast. "How about this? For a boy, I'd suggest… hm… how about _Botta_?"

"Botta?" Lloyd asked. "Like Botta from the Renegades?"

"I suppose, if you want to consider it a namesake. You _do_ owe him your life, don't forget."

"I like the name," Anna commented. "Do you know what it means?"

"It comes from an ancient language that's not spoken anymore. Supposedly it's derived from the word for 'order' or 'command."

Lloyd smiled as he wrote the name down on his paper. "It suited him well. He seemed like a good leader-"

" _As good as a leader as he may have been, I'm not naming my son after your renegade buddy, Yuan_."

The voice came from halfway down the stairwell, and within a few seconds Kratos appeared through the doorway. Anna jumped up and ran to hug him, and while he opened his arms for her, he was focused more on what was going on around them.

"What's this? Some sort of planning committee?"

"Lloyd wanted to do something to help out while he's recovering, so he's helping think up names for the baby." Anna took a step back and handed the paper over to Kratos. "Take a look! What do you think of them?"

Kratos accepted the paper, reading it over. As he did, a series of odd expressions passed over his face. He finally made it to the end of the list and smiled again. "It seems everyone has their own take on how to decide a name," he murmured. "As for me, I rather like the name Lei."

"That was Yuan's suggestion," Lloyd explained.

"Yes, I assumed it was." Kratos looked up at Yuan, who turned away to focus on plating pancakes instead. "As much as I'd love to help out, I can't stay long. Yuan called me over to discuss a militia issue."

"Sit doon an' join us fur breakfast," Dirk offered. "We can talk while we eat."

"Sorry, but I've already eaten. Yuan promised this would be brief."

Yuan slid the papers on the table aside and started placing plate out in front of everyone. "You all start eating. I'll join you in a few minutes to feed Adora."

Lloyd leaned over the bassinet, holding out a fork with a piece of pancake on it. "Here! I can feed her-"

"Try to feed her those pancakes, and you'll end up with a few extra wounds for Song to patch up."

"I-I was just kidding," Lloyd laughed nervously. "Sorry for that. You guys can go talk now."

Yuan and Kratos stepped aside into the stairwell, walking down a few steps so that they were out of sight of everyone in the kitchen. Yuan cleared his throat as he stopped and leaned against the railing.

"You know, you don't have to use the name I suggested. They were pressuring me to give them something, but I really don't care whether or not-"

"Your grandmother was an incredible woman, one whom I held in high regard," Kratos interrupted. "Don't think my willingness to honor my own daughter with her namesake has anything to do with _you_."

Yuan forced a smile through gritted teeth. "It's a little early in the morning for that attitude of yours, don't you think?"

"I've been on patrol since three-'o-clock. It's practically afternoon by now." Kratos paused and took a deep breath. "Sorry. As I said, I've had a long morning. You promised that you'd keep this brief, so go ahead."

"It's about the conflict tomorrow surrounding the Great Tree," Yuan replied, letting himself relax a little. "Anna told you about that last night, right?"

"Yes, she did. What about it?"

"I was hoping that a small group from the militia could be present to prevent any violence from breaking out. I wanted to request that you be there."

Kratos was quiet a moment, his expression clouding as he considered it. "I thought there wasn't _going_ to be any chance of violence. Anna said that Raine was going to disable the device so that there was no danger to the Great Tree."

"That's true. But I want to be sure. You can never be too careful…" Yuan glanced away. "To be perfectly honest, the real reason I'm asking is for Adora's sake. I'm still not comfortable letting her out of my sight for too long, especially considering how the situation might change in Meltokio during this conflict. I want her with me. That's why I want to be absolutely _sure_ there's no trouble tomorrow."

"Ah, I see." Kratos let out a sigh. "But is there really no one here you'd feel comfortable leaving her with?"

"No, there's not. Song is coming with us to the Tree too, and Anna and Colette are going to be helping Lloyd get back to Dirk's house."

Kratos went silent again, closing his eyes and leaning back against the wall. "...we're still contracted for a patrol of the city, but there's a fair amount of overlap in our patrol areas. If I changed around the assignments, I could spare one platoon for you. That's about fifteen people; would that be enough to satisfy you?"

"Yes." Yuan answered with no hesitation. "That would be enough."

"Good. I'll arrange to be present there with Platoon A. Once the conflict is over, we can talk about compensation."

"Huh? Compensation?" Yuan stiffened and leaned in closer. "I thought this was a personal favor done to protect the Great Tree!"

Kratos scoffed. "We're mercenaries, not charity workers. But… perhaps I'll be willing to negotiate if you're cooperative."

"You're the _worst_."

"Hah! What else is new?"

Kratos swatted Yuan with the back of his hand, but Yuan grabbed his wrist before it could make contact with his face. He stopped, holding out Kratos' left hand and examining it quietly. A moment passed in which Kratos waited for Yuan to shove his hand away or make some sort of rude comment, but he did neither. He just sort of stared. Uncomfortable, Kratos frowned and jerked his hand away.

"What's with you all of a sudden?"

Yuan looked away so that his hair was hiding his face. "Sorry, I was just thinking… I was wondering how long it's been since you wore your Cruxis Crystal."

Kratos' eyes widened in surprise and he glanced down at his hand again. "I hadn't given it much thought. It's been about two years, I believe. I took it off shortly after the Myrddin festival when I moved in with Anna again."

"And you haven't worn it at all since then?"

"Haven't really wanted to, no."

"Why?"

As he asked that simple question, Yuan turned around again. There was a genuine look of confusion on his face, one that seemed oddly out of place to Kratos. "What do you mean, _why_?" he replied. "It's because of my family. I have a reason to live. I want to be able to spend my life with them."

"But now that you have more reasons to live, shouldn't that make you want to wear it _more_?" Yuan demanded, his voice jumping up in volume. "What if something happened to you? You're not an angel anymore. You could be hurt badly or even killed! Your body is aging now, vulnerable to disease and injury… doesn't that frighten you after all this time?"

"No."

The answer was so quick and decisive, it took Yuan a moment before he really _got_ it. His expression remained puzzled, so Kratos continued with his explanation.

"The Cruxis Crystals made us ageless and unaffected by the world around us. We gained incredible strength and longevity, but it was all at the cost of being able to truly _live_. We were in a sort of stasis like Adora was, but unlike her, we were conscious. We could see the world moving and changing around us, and we could see ourselves being physically left behind. We became outsiders to the world. And I don't want to be an outsider in my own family. If weakness, age, and eventual death are the prices for truly living again, I'll gladly pay them. I'm willing to part with immortality because I want to _live_." Kratos stopped, coming to a realization as he watched the subtle changes in Yuan's expression. "I get the feeling that you're asking because you feel the same. Am I wrong?"

Yuan's shoulders went stiff and he took a step back up. "Th-that's not it! I'm not sentimental like you- I'm more than happy to keep living as an angel if it means I can protect the Great Tree and Martel's legacy!"

"Even if it means watching Song and Adora grow old and die without you?"

The two froze, staring at one another in silence. Neither one was willing to speak, both waiting for the other to say something. Yuan was waiting for some sort of follow-up, but Kratos had nothing more to ask. He wanted a response.

"...th-that's not…" Yuan managed to choke out, but he didn't get any farther before his voice trailed off.

"Look at my family. For most of Lloyd's life I was an angel and Anna's soul was trapped in an exsphere. When we go out together, we look like a group of friends rather than parents and their child. Don't pretend that's not what's going to happen to you and Adora if you remain an angel."

"And if I take it off?" Yuan snapped. "What then? Four thousand years of instinct built on angel abilities will just disappear?"

Kratos sighed. "I'll admit, I had trouble at first. I tried to push myself beyond my limits- I went too long without sleeping, forgot to eat, let myself get into dangerous situations without realizing the consequences… but I'm not an idiot and neither are you. My desire to live for my family helped me remember to take care of myself. If you want to live, you'll remember."

"If I want to live, I'll remember," Yuan repeated, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. "That seems a little too simple."

"It's the only advice I can give you." Kratos turned away, starting down the stairs again. "I've overstayed my welcome, I think, and Bryan and the others are expecting me. I'll let you decide for yourself. If you truly want to remain an angel, I'm in no position to stop you. But I think, just as Martel wanted to give Adora a chance to live, she'd want you to have a chance to live as well. Don't forget that."

The stairwell went silent as Kratos left. Beyond the door, Yuan could hear Song's voice calling out excitedly and Kratos' voice making quick excuses before disappearing. He sighed and turned back around, starting up the steps again.

" _If I want to live, I'll remember, huh?_ " Yuan murmured, placing a hand over his own Cruxis crystal. " _It's safer not to take the chance_." But as he entered the kitchen once again, he was enveloped by the warm, lively conversation that was taking place. Adora's bassinet was turned toward the stairwell, and once she saw Yuan appear by the doorway, she let out a joyful squeal and began flailing her arms.

"See? He was right there the whole time," Lloyd laughed, rocking the bassinet back and forth in an attempt to calm her down. He spoke up again, this time addressing Yuan. "She got all upset when you left, so I just turned her around to look at the door. I haven't fed her any pancakes, I promise."

Yuan approached the table and scooped Adora up in his arms. She gave a playful coo and reached for his face, grabbing a tiny fistful of his hair and tugging on it. Instead of pulling away, he closed his eyes and leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers and staying there for a long moment.

"...Yuan? Is everything alright?" Anna asked. The sudden question brought him back to his senses, and he straightened up, gently pulling his hair from Adora's grasp.

"Yes, everything's fine. I just… have some things to think about."

"Do you need any help?" Lloyd offered, reaching a hand out, but Yuan turned away.

" _No_ , I do not."


	37. Chapter 37

(Late chapter due to mandatory evacuations, but it's in before the storm hits! If you're in the path of the hurricane, please stay safe! As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Do enjoy.)

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 32:**  
 _Na cuir rach tarsainn air drochaid chloiche ás aonais deuchainn e._  
Cross even a stone bridge after you've tested it.

37-

Professor Low started off their meeting in the conference room she had prepared, asking Emmett for information from the Treasury Council that might be useful in tracking down the assassin. He gave her what information he had- reluctantly, of course- and promised- with some _persuasion_ from Zelos- to go back and search the archives for her. After that, Genis mentioned that he had some suspicions about tracking the assassin related to residual deposits in chlorophyll, and wanted to investigate some native plants in the greenhouse to act as controls before taking samples from the park. Low was skeptical that it would work, but she trusted Genis enough to try it anyway, and instructed one of the servants to bring their brunch to the greenhouse instead of the conference room.

The greenhouse was a large building in the center of the mansion's main courtyard. It was in the same position as the Wilder family's swimming pool, and Zelos commented that perhaps he should build a greenhouse-type structure around the pool so that he could use it during the colder months as well. That got Bianca talking about the pool at the Palmacosta University's recreational complex and Emmett bragging about the luxury pool at his father's hotel. Genis was surprised at how easily the conversation took off once it had begun, but he was glad it had. Not only was it a distraction from the fact that his chlorophyll project was _total bullshit_ , but it was the first time he'd seen a genuine smile on Professor Low's face since the confrontation with Raine. Zelos had noticed it too, how adept Low was at putting on a fake smile when dealing with guests, but he and Genis were both experienced enough to see through it. If Low was sulking, she'd never be able to see the error in what she'd done. She had to step back and detach herself from the emotional impact of the situation to truly understand it.

By the time they had finished their conversation and begun searching for the samples Genis has requested, it was almost time to eat. The plan was to finish sampling and then eat together, but Bianca complained that she was hungry, so Professor Low sent word for the servants to bring the appetizers ahead of the main meal for Bianca to start on while they finished work.

"Here you are, ma'am." One of the bakers arrived with the food and placed it on the small table in the center of the greenhouse, taking the lid off the tray with a rehearsed flourish. "Fresh from the oven- an Altamiran-herb flatbread with a goat cheese and spinach topping."

Before anyone else could even say 'thank you,' Emmett pushed his way to the front and started examining the food. " _Finally._ I'll take whatever piece has the least amount of spinach on it."

"Me too!" Bianca chimed in. "No spinach on mine, please."

"Hey, I already called it. No stealing."

"Now, now," Professor Low broke in, waving dismissively in Emmett's direction. "There's no need to fight. Just pick off the bits you don't want, Bianca dear, and I'll be happy to eat them."

"Hooray! Thanks, Professor!"

Professor Low mirrored Bianca's smile, but her expression fell again when Genis nudged her shoulder.

"Don't spoil her, Professor. She needs to learn to eat her vegetables."

"Yeah, that's right!" Zelos knelt down beside Bianca, putting an arm around her shoulder. "Spinach is so good for you. It's got a ton of vitamins and minerals, like calcium and iron, which are super important for a growing kid like you!"

" _Hmph._ " Emmett had already started eating, and he paused to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand before chiming in. "I never ate spinach and I turned out just fine."

"...see, Bianca? Even more reason to eat your spinach."

" _Zelos, you ass-_!"

"Ma'am," the baker spoke up reaching out in Professor Low's direction, "I was unaware of the group's dietary preferences. Should I prepare a version without spinach for your guests?"

"No, no, this is perfectly fine, thank you." Professor Low replied. "We'll be eating the main course soon anyway. You're welcome to get back to work."

"I will, ma'am." The baker offered a respectful bow, but turned to glance at the group before he left. "...is this everyone?"

"Pardon?"

"Are these four the only ones who are dining with you?"

"Yes, why?"

The baker shook his head. "My apologies, I don't mean to pry. I'm just curious. Did the women who were in the courtyard earlier find what you were looking for?"

There was a pause. Genis and Zelos heard the question and both froze where they were, waiting to hear what Professor Low's response would be. They couldn't decide how to intervene until they knew how seriously she was going to take the story.

"...what women?" Professor Low asked with a frown.

"There were three of them- a foreigner, a half-elf, and a blonde. When I saw them in the kitchen this morning, they said you'd sent them to find something in the courtyard and they'd gotten lost. Have they not made it back?"

"They have, they just couldn't stay for brunch," Zelos broke in. "But they asked me to thank you for your help."

"Well, I didn't do anything, but they're very welcome nonetheless." The baker nodded in response. "I will get back to work, then, and return with the rest of the meal shortly."

As he left, Professor Low turned on her heels and stared down Zelos. He'd been expecting that response, and took a deep breath as he braced himself for her questions.

"Alright, Mister Wilder, you need to explain yourself. I don't know _a foreigner, a half-elf, and a blonde,_ and I certainly don't recall inviting them into my house."

"You didn't invite them," Zelos replied with a sigh, " _we_ did."

"You _what_?!" Low's voice was half-screech by this point, and she had to take a moment to gather her composure enough to speak properly. "I know I've said that any friends of yours are friends of mine, but you should at least let me know before you start inviting them to my house and letting them roam about without my supervision. It's common courtesy."

Zelos bowed. "I'm sorry. It's a long story, but I take full responsibility for this."

"Hey, I was in on this too!" Genis broke in, stepping up by Zelos' side. "I knew that Colette, Sheena, and Raine were here, and I didn't say anything about it either-"

"Wait, _Raine?_ " Low interrupted him before he could finish. "The half-elf he mentioned was… I mean, Raine was here? Did she leave like you said, or is she still here? Can I speak with her?"

"Th-that's…" Genis stammered. "I don't know if she's still here. I don't know if she found what she was looking for yet."

"...looking for?"

"Professor," Zelos broke in, "did you receive a letter this morning?"

There was a pause. Emmett and Bianca had been listening in, both staring at the others. Bianca had opened her mouth to say something when Genis mentioned Raine, but Emmett put his hand out to quiet her, and she grabbed another piece of flatbread to munch on instead.

"...how… how did you know? Do you know who sent it?" Low asked. "And if you knew, why didn't you say something earlier?"

"We didn't know, we just assumed." Genis shook his head. "It was a threat, right? Someone inviting you to the Great Tree tomorrow to prevent a potential catastrophe?"

Professor Low crossed her arms. "Are you going to tell me how you know all these details, or are you going to leave me to fill in the blanks with undesirable assumptions?"

"We have a mole in the Church of Mana," Zelos spoke up. "A friend of ours helped some fugitives and they've been giving us information to repay the debt. We know what the Church is planning, and we know that they have members in service both to my family and to yours."

"I already _told_ you, it's impossible that any of my servants could be-!" Low's voice cracked as she yelled, and she stopped to compose herself. "...so, what? Were Raine and your friends here just to sneak around and obtain proof of my servants' wrongdoing? Is that what they're _looking for_?"

"We have the statement from the Church of Mana. That's proof enough for us," Zelos responded. "You're the one who won't accept it without something tangible. So they went to find that for you."

"I didn't _ask_ them to! I didn't _want_ them to!"

Genis approached Professor Low, nudging Zelos out of the way. "If you're so sure that your servants haven't done anything wrong, then why are you so upset? Don't you want to have the chance to say 'I-told-you-so?' To make Raine apologize to you?"

Professor Low froze and stepped back. "Well, yes, but…"

"Then why are you upset about this? What are you afraid Raine is going to find?"

The greenhouse went quiet, the soft chirping of birds around the ceiling panes the only thing breaking the silence. Professor Low frowned and turned away from Genis and Zelos, her fist clenching and her mouth opening and closing a couple times as though she wanted to say something, but lost her nerve. Bianca ran over, approaching the Professor and tugging at her dress.

"...you trust Genis, don't you?"

"I-It's not that I don't trust him," Professor Low stammered. "It's just… well… I trust my servants too. I _want_ to trust my servants. The way that they act is a reflection on me, and…"

"You can't control what others do. The only person you can control is yourself." Zelos took a step back, reaching for the coat that he'd slung over the back of one of the chairs. "I'll go check the servants' quarters and see if our friends are still there. They deserve to know they've been discovered, at least- if Sheena thinks she pulled some great heist, she's never gonna let us hear the end of it!" He laughed at that last part, waiting for some sort of laugh in response, but there was none. With a sigh and a wave, he turned his back to them and continued out the door.

"W-wait! I'm going too!" Genis scrambled after him, stopping only briefly to speak back in Professor Low's direction. "Professor, stay here and keep an eye on Bianca. We'll be back soon, I promise."

Professor Low reached toward the door with a stifled "Genis-!" but he was already gone. She closed her eyes, sighed, and turned back to face Emmett.

"Will you watch Bianca? Friends or not, I'm not letting them run around my house unsupervised."

"What? _No_. Absolutely not. I'm no babysitter-"

Bianca interrupted him. "We'll be fine! I'll make sure Mister Emmett doesn't get into any trouble."

"That's _Marquess Wilbur_ to you-"

"Thank you," Professor Low replied with a nod, already halfway to the door.

Emmett watched her go until she turned the corner around the side of the building and was out of sight. He groaned and sank into one of the chairs, staring up at the sky through the glass in the ceiling. "Man, first I had to do treasury work, and now I've gotta babysit some brat? Stella warned me that today's horoscope was bad luck for Leos…"

"You're a Leo?" Bianca leaned against the side of the chair, trying to catch his eye. "Me too! That's so cool! I don't have any friends who share that- my sister's the closest, but she's a Virgo. Say, when's your birthday? Mine's the fifth of August, but we always celebrate it on the closest Sunday 'cause my sister has to work-"

Emmett groaned and sank further down in the chair until he wasn't even sitting on the seat anymore, and was halfway to the ground. Bianca paused as she watched him, a concerned frown passing across her face.

"Mister Emmett? What's wrong?"

"Oh man… where to _begin_?"

* * *

Genis followed Zelos out of the greenhouse, stumbling after him as he sprinted along the uneven stepping stones. "W-wait! Zelos! Don't leave me behind!"

Zelos paused long enough to let him catch up and then slowed his pace to match Genis' as they approached the building. "Sorry, buddy. I just had to get out of there. Emmett and Low and… ugh, I have too much to think about right now."

"Yeah, I get it." Genis shook his head. "It's not our fault that Raine and the others were careless."

"Well, we expected that to happen."

"Did you?" Genis frowned and crossed his arms. "I at least had _some_ faith in them!"

"Come on, bud- let's be realistic. Sheena is a total mess when it comes to these things, Colette is… _Colette_ , and your sister is emotionally impaired right now. Expecting them to do this in total secrecy was a stretch to begin with."

"Y-yeah, but…"

" _Genis! Zelos!_ "

Professor Low dashed down the hallway after them, catching up and pausing to catch her breath. Zelos and Genis glanced at one another, but neither moved, and it allowed her the chance to speak again.

"Please… I know Raine probably doesn't want to speak to me, but I at least want to see her. This is absurd. She has to realize that."

"P-Professor…" Genis stammered, "I don't think that's what-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence before he was interrupted by the sound of a high-pitched yelp and a huge crash from down the hallway. The voice had been too muffled for them to recognize it just from that, but the combination was enough for Genis and Zelos. " _Colette?_ " they stammered practically in unison. By the time they had gotten her name out, Low had already taken off down the hallway, making a beeline for the room where the crash had sounded. She grabbed the door handle and threw it open, her voice echoing through the room and back into the hallway.

"What is going _on_ in here?!"

Colette, Sheena, and Raine were frozen in place, staring at the doorway. Sheena was the first to speak, stammering "P-Professor…" though her voice trailed off before her statement could go anywhere. Genis and Zelos pushed their way past Professor Low and through the door, Zelos vaulting over the overturned dresser to get to Colette.

"What happened, hunny? Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine! Just a little startled, is all." Colette offered a smile in reply. Zelos had his arms out, reaching for her shoulders, but she handed him the lamp instead. "I fell and knocked over the dresser, but I managed to get out of the way, no problem."

Genis sighed. "I was afraid Colette was going to get hurt..."

"We'd have been lost without her!" Sheena defended. "She knew exactly where to look, and there's no way we could've gotten that chest open without her angel strength-"

"That would've been preferable," Professor Low interrupted. "You had no right to come into _my_ house unannounced and go through _my_ servants' belongings."

Raine stepped forward, her expression stern. "You're correct. We didn't have any right to do that."

"I'm-" Low began without thinking, and suddenly paused as she processed Raine's statement. "-th-that's right. I _am_ right."

"But we had _reason_ to do it," Raine continued, holding out the small mechanical device that she had in her arms. "Recognize this?"

"Th… the… the converter…" Professor Low stammered. "It looks awful-"

"It does, doesn't it? Sloppy craftsmanship, a clear lack of the safety features that we outlined in our paper-" As Raine spoke, she began tossing the machine back and forth between her hands. "-and no sense of style either. It's an awful excuse for magitechnology."

"R-Raine! Be careful, that's dangerous!" Professor Low lunged to grab the machine, but Raine snatched it out of the air before she could.

"Oh? Are you afraid that it's active?"

"I-I… I mean…" Low's face turned red and she looked away. "Of course not. It's just- I'm sure it's heavy, and you might hurt yourself if it hit you in the face or head. There's no way that some uneducated servants could build that without a lab or the correct equipment and actually make it work."

Raine frowned and held the machine up again. "How sure are you of that?"

"V-very sure! A 99.9 percent confidence interval!"

"And that 0.01 percent? Are you willing to risk it?"

" _Raine, stop it!_ "

That came from Colette, her voice cracking like she was going to cry. She had been watching along with Zelos, Sheena, and Genis, all of them transfixed in silence by the conversation going on between the two professors. Zelos had his arms around her, and she didn't move from his grip, but the expression on her face was enough to make both Raine and Low pause. They looked back at her for a moment, and finally Raine's expression softened.

"I'm sorry," Raine spoke with a sigh, "I got a little carried away. You were right, Professor Low, this isn't functional. I came with the intention of disabling it if it were actually active, but they've used the wrong type of transistor and the soldering is full of dry joints."

Professor Low let out a satisfied ' _hmph_.' "I told you. 99.9 percent."

"That's not the point, Todd! The point is, 99.9 is _not_ one-hundred. You weren't sure. For a moment, you were genuinely scared. And you can't brush that off."

"But the confidence interval-"

"Didn't you take basic statistics? Do you even _understand_ what a confidence interval represents?"

By this point, Raine's voice was growing hoarse. Colette stepped away from Zelos' grip as though she were going to get between them, but Genis put his hand out to stop her. It wasn't that he thought there was any danger, but something about the conversation felt like something that Raine and Professor Low should finish on their own.

"I… I _taught_ statistics!" Low stammered. "A confidence interval is defined as a range of values determined by observations to represent the probability that the parameter will fall between the given values-"

"Probability," Raine interrupted. "And anything dealing with probability is never certain. A 95% confidence interval represents a roughly one-in-twenty chance that the true value lies outside the given parameters. 99 is one-in-a hundred. 99.9 is one-in-a thousand. Those aren't big numbers. The confidence interval isn't calculated so that a researcher can pat herself on the back and tell herself she's right. It's so that she can address the fact that she might be _wrong_. Does that make sense?"

There was a pause. Professor Low glanced around at the others as she thought it over before finally turning back to Raine.

"But… I was right."

" _Unbelievable_!" Raine turned and shoved the machine into Sheena's hands before pushing Professor Low out of the way and storming out into the hall.

"R-Raine!" Genis stammered, following her out the door and down the hallway. Professor Low moved to run after them, but Sheena grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Hey, I think she's had enough for right now. Can you help us clean up this room, Professor? If the people who made this find out we were messing with it, there could be violence here in Meltokio, and that's exactly what we want to avoid."

Professor Low turned back toward her. "What, you think moving the conflict to the Great Tree like these church idiots _want_ is a better idea?"

"It's a better idea in the sense that it moves the conflict away from a major population center. We want to keep people safe. If the church gets into conflict with the authorities here in Meltokio, it's only a matter of time before more people end up like Lloyd."

"So you're all willing to let a fight break out around the _Great Tree_ just because of what happened to your pet idiot?"

Zelos stepped forward, the corners of his mouth turning down into a scowl. " _What_ did you just call him?"

The question seemed to make Low realize what she'd said, and her face turned pale. "I-I-I… I didn't mean it like… like…" She looked down at the floor, avoiding eye contact with any of the others.

Colette inched forward, tugging at Zelos' coat. "Professor, is that really how you feel about Lloyd? About all of Raine's friends? Zelos? Sheena? Me?"

"N-n-no, of course not!" Low's head jerked up. "Zelos is a highly educated and accomplished individual, and you're a teacher who has dedicated your time to educating the next generation of scientists and researchers!"

There was a pause, and once Zelos was sure that she was finished, he spoke up again. "Nothing on Sheena?"

"W-well, I don't know her, so I don't know her academic qualifications…"

"And you ascribe value to people based only on their _academic qualifications_? Heh, I guess that explains a _lot_ about how you could justify what you did as Dr. Watson-"

"What are you saying?!" Professor Low stiffened. "Are you saying that there's something wrong with respecting those who prioritize the advancement of themselves through education?"

"No. It's the disrespect of those who aren't so lucky or have other talents that's wrong."

"I'm _not-_ "

" _STOP_."

Colette stepped in between Zelos and Low, holding out her arms to keep them apart. They both jumped back, both in surprise that she'd stepped forward and startled by the volume of her voice.

"You two can keep arguing if you need to, but don't do it here. I'm going to clean this place up, and I expect you to either help or get out of my way."

"C-Colette…" Sheena murmured. "I'll help. Zelos, you and the professor figure out what you're going to-"

"I'm helping too!" Zelos interrupted. "Professor, I don't expect to change your mindset through a heated argument. This is something you need to figure out yourself. But I think, if you're trying to figure out where you went wrong with Raine, the way you view and treat other people is a good place to start." He paused, his eyes widening, "Wait… where's Bianca? Did you leave her with-"

"You don't need to worry. I left her in the care of Marquess Wilbur."

"That's _absolutely_ a reason to worry!" Zelos stumbled forward, nearly running into the door in his hurry. "I'm sorry Colette, Sheena. You guys clean up here. I've gotta go make sure Bianca's alright."

The hallway was empty, but even so, Zelos kept his curses silent. His mind raced with them- he cursed his cousin, cursed Professor Low, cursed the Church of Mana and everyone who was trying to pick a fight…

He knew it wasn't the sole fault of any of them, but _gods_ , couldn't he catch a break?


	38. Chapter 38

As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 114:**  
 _An car a bhios san t-seana mhaide, 's duilich a thoirt as._  
The warp in the old wood is the hardest to remove.

 **38-**

Emmett began his list of complaints with his job at the treasury council.

Bianca had been standing beside his chair listening to him, but after a few minutes spent entirely talking about his "no-good, lazy" boss and how she constantly asked him to open jars and carry boxes just because he was a man, she realized that he wasn't going to be satisfied any time soon, and she might as well sit down. Rather than pulling up a chair, she walked over to the step-ladder that had been set up by one of the nearby trees and sat down on one of the lower steps.

"...and then there's the guy who sits next to me, who's always showing me pictures of his cats. Like, man, I don't give a damn how many cats you have. Do you know how many cats we have living on the property of my family's hotel? I've seen every cat there is. I have no desire to see whatever strays you picked up on the sidewalk yesterday-"

"Why don't you go work at the hotel, then?"

Bianca's interruption gave Emmett pause, if only because he was surprised to hear her voice. He pulled himself up from the chair- the _ground_ , really- and approached the ladder. "What are you talking about? Where'd that come from?"

"You keep bringing up the hotel. If you like it so much, why are you working in a place you _don't_ like?"

Emmett frowned. "I never said I liked the hotel."

"You were talking about all the great things about it before. You wouldn't have said all those things if you didn't love it a whole bunch."

He leaned against the side of the ladder as he replied. "Heh, I was just bragging about my rich family and all our awesome stuff. If you were rich, you'd understand."

"You don't gotta be rich to love where you live!" Bianca replied with a shake of her head. "My boarding house isn't big, but it's pretty and there's lots of friendly people who live there. The landlord's name is Mister Kay, and he's always smiling and telling great jokes. My big sister and I share a room with a sweet old lady named Cheryl who knits me cute sweaters, and down the hall is Mister Hatcher the writer and Mister Jones the fisherman who tell the coolest stories together. Then downstairs, Miss Delaney and her twin boys are always happy to play-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it…" Emmett interrupted her, mimicking a yawn. "I have no desire to hear what a bunch of commoners do for fun."

"I was just _saying_. You love your home and so do I. So why are you so defensive about it?"

Emmett stepped away from the ladder. "You're putting words in my mouth. I never tried to defend it. In fact, I'm proud of what I've inherited."

"Proud enough to leave it behind for a boring job you hate, huh?"

Emmett was quiet for a moment. He turned around to face the ladder again and reached out for Bianca. She placed her hands on his shoulders and he gently lifted her off the ladder step and placed her on the ground.

"You're a really persistent brat, aren't you?" he asked, straightening up and taking a step back. "It's not that I prefer the treasury council job. But going back to the hotel would mean dealing with my stupid dad and I _can't stand_ that guy."

Bianca expression fell and she took a step closer. "Your dad… did he hurt you?"

"He's always hurting me! The way he smothers me when I'm around like I'm some sort of baby, the way he constantly checks in when I'm away like he doesn't trust me on my own, the way he demands that I do everything by the rules and hits me with that ' _I'm not mad, I'm disappointed_ ' spiel when I don't live up to his idea of a ' _contributing member of the community'_ or whatever-"

"Those don't sound like bad things to me."

"They're awful!" Emmett's outburst was loud enough that a group of birds nesting along the ceiling panels were spooked into the air. "I mean, he used to be cool when I was a kid. We did fun things together. But then he suddenly just… just… turned into a hard-ass who forgot what fun _was_. He's insufferable, always being lovey-dovey with my mom and totally ignoring me-"

"But you just said he constantly checks on you," Bianca interrupted. "Which is it? Is he checking in on you, or ignoring you?"

Emmett's face turned red and he looked away. "I-I mean, he doesn't _ignore_ me, he just… I don't know, he's not _nice_ to me like he used to be."

Bianca leaned against Emmett's legs, her head turned up so that she could look him in the eyes. "But he still loves you, right? He talks to you and wants to be part of your life. That counts for something, doesn't it?"

"What, so I should applaud him for just _being my dad_?

Bianca took a few steps away so that she was standing facing Emmett. " _My_ dad left when I was a baby. I've never really met him. He sends money every month to help me pay for school, and my sister says he can't visit just 'cause he's busy with work, but… it doesn't change the fact that he's not part of my life. D'ya know what I'd give to have a dad like yours?"

Emmett was silent for a moment, glancing away to keep from making eye contact with her. "I mean, I guess I'm glad I _have_ a dad, but he doesn't have to be on my back all the time-"

"But he _talks_ to you!" Bianca ran up to him again, tugging on the front of his coat to draw his attention back to her. "My big sister- she was super close with her dad when she was a kid. He died before I was born, but she talks about him all the time. When she was ten, he suddenly left the estate to work in the mines without telling her. He got killed in a mining accident an' she thought he'd left her because he didn't care. It was later she found out that he'd taken the job to get more money so he could send her to school. Of course if he'd told her, she would'a tried to stop him, but even if he did it anyway, at least she'd have _known…_ "

Emmett held a hand up to stop her. "No more sob stories. I get it. What you're saying is that dads are just garbage no matter what."

"No, of course not! Not your dad!"

"So you're saying mydad is the perfect dad, then?"

"N-no, but-"

"Then I give up!" Emmett threw up his hands. "Obviously you know more about dads than I do. So tell me, o wise one, what would the ideal dad be?"

"Ideal?"

"Like, if you could build a perfect dad, what characteristics would you give him?"

Bianca closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "The perfect dad, huh? Well… I guess the most important thing I'd want is a dad who loves me a whole lot."

"Well, duh. What else? Would you want him to be tall? Short? Handsome? Ugly-?"

"I wouldn't care what he looked like," Bianca interrupted. "But I'd want him to be smart. Like, super-duuuuper smart, smarter than anybody else I know. And he'd do cool work on scientific stuff, but also have time to teach me what he knows. I want a dad I can learn from."

Emmett scoffed. "... _nerd._ Anything else, or is being a sappy brainiac all you care about?"

"Ummm…" Bianca paced for a moment before walking back to the ladder and taking a seat on one of the lower rungs. "My ideal dad would understand me. He'd know how it feels to go through some of the stuff I have... like being teased or excluded because of your race, or being born in Tethe'alla but growing up in Sylvarant, or ending up all alone except for your big sister-"

"Alright, now you're getting so specific that no one could ever fit your description."

"You said _ideal_! Not _realistic_!"

There was a pause, and finally Emmett burst out laughing. He took a seat on the ground beside the ladder, looking up at Bianca in amusement. "You're a weird kid, y'know that? You and that nerd brother of yours- no wonder stupid Zelos likes hanging out with you two."

"Zelos isn't stupid! He's really smart!" Bianca held onto the sides of the ladder and swung her legs back and forth. "You know he graduated from the Imperial Research Academy? That's the best university in Tethe'alla! Man, what I'd give to go there someday… b-but of course the Palmacosta University is great too, and that's where Genis is studying… aw, I don't wanna have to choose…"

"Choose, huh? Must be nice to decide your own future." Emmett's voice took on a darker tone as he continued. "I wanted to go to the Imperial Research Academy too. But my parents sent me off to the Tethe'allan Military Academy without even asking me what I wanted..."

Bianca shot to her feet with a gasp. "Y-you didn't tell me that! Why would they _do_ that to you? That's not fair!"

"I know, right? _Thank you_!" Emmett stood up as well, grabbing Bianca's hands and pumping them up and down in a friendly shake. "I've been saying that for years! I mean, sure, I made a mistake, but it wasn't worth punishing me like _that_!"

"A punishment? That's crazy!" Bianca replied, standing still and allowed Emmett to keep shaking her hands. "Especially if it was just an accident!"

Emmett stopped shaking her hands, letting go and turning his head to look away. "I said it was a mistake, I never said it was an accident… I mean, it _was_ , but not, like, in the sense that… er…"

His voice trailed off and he didn't pick up the sentence again, but Bianca took a step closer and tugged at his shirt. "What'd you do? Did you steal something? Break something valuable? Cheat on a test? Say a bad word-?"

"Hah! If I were punished for every bad word I said, I'd be serving a life sentence right now." Emmett shook his head. "No, I, uh… there was this servant girl I hung out with a lot. I made her do my homework for me as well as… _other things_."

"What other things?" Bianca asked, and gasped as she saw Emmett's face turn pale at the question. "You don't mean, like, cheating for you on tests and writing essays for you, and-" She stopped and gasped loudly. "You guys didn't _plagiarise_ something, did you?"

Emmett let out a sigh. "No, no, it's not that. It's just that- see, this girl was just a kid, but she looked and acted so grown up that I treated her like an adult. I was the older one in the situation; I should've known better. But I didn't. And because of that, I put her in a bad situation."

"Well, of course." Bianca crossed her arms and nodded. "Even if it's just homework, cheating is a serious academic offense for everybody involved."

To her surprise, Emmett began to laugh again. He started walking back over to the table, so she hurried behind, calling after him.

"H-hey, don't laugh! Cheating is serious-"

"No, no, I'm not laughing at that," Emmett replied with a wave of his hand. "It's just… you got talking all mature and stuff, I forgot for a second that you're still just a kid."

"Of course I'm just a kid. But that doesn't mean I don't _know_ stuff. My sister is always teaching me how to be a better person. And Zelos said you were a bad person, so I just wanted to help…"

"Aw, screw Zelos! You've gotta make decisions on your own." Emmett scooped Bianca up in his arms, holding her up so that she could put her hands on his shoulders to steady herself. "Look at me. Do you think I'm a bad person?"

"..." Bianca was silent as she examined him. "...well, there's parts of you that aren't bad. And Genis said something about people not being good or bad anyway…"

"So I'm not a bad person. Even if Zelos and my dad think I am, I'm not. What happened in the past should stay in the past. Right?"

Bianca closed her eyes and offered him a reassuring smile. "As long as you apologized and made things right, then you get a chance to start over and prove yourself. That's only fair."

Emmett, however, couldn't smile back. "...apologized?"

"Apologize. Go to your parents and your friend and tell them that what you did was wrong. Own up to it, then say that you're sorry and you'll work hard to make sure it doesn't happen again. And, like, don't just say it. Meanit."

"...the _hell_?" Emmett had no qualms about yelling, even though their faces were right next to one another. "Why should I do all that? That's exactly what my old man _wants_!"

"Well, yeah. That's the point."

" _Excuse me?_ "

"If your dad cares about you, he wants to see you grow. And that means admitting you did something wrong and learning from your mistakes. At least, that's what my sister always taught me. So-"

The door to the greenhouse swung open, hitting the outside wall with a bang. " _Bianca_!" Zelos' voice echoed through the open space, bouncing off the glass walls. "Emmett, what the _hell_ do you think you're doing?"

Emmett frowned, but didn't say anything as he lowered Bianca back to the ground and allowed her feet to rest back on the floor. She ran toward Zelos with one arm outstretched, waving.

"Zelos, you're back! What happened? Is everything okay? Did you find big-sis Raine and the others? What happened to Genis?"

It took Zelos a moment to regain his composure, seeing Bianca so enthusiastic- and generally unharmed. "Oh, uh, everything's fine. Genis and Raine just went out to... get some fresh air. And Professor Low is helping clean up a dresser that Colette accidentally knocked over."

Bianca giggled. "Genis is always talking about Miss Colette. It sounds like she can be a real klutz sometimes."

"Yeah, that's true. But that's just one of the things we love about her." The change in subject helped ease Zelos' nerves, and he allowed himself a laugh too. "As long as she's safe, we don't mind it. But speaking of which- are you okay? What did Emmett do to you?"

"Mister Emmett didn't do anything. We were just talking. It was fun!"

Emmett sighed, approaching the two with a shrug of his shoulders. "Honestly, Zelos, I'm sorry for earlier when I insinuated she was your lovechild. The kid is obviously your newly-hired life coach."

Zelos raised an eyebrow. "Life coach?"

"Yeah. Like, what's she going to charge me for twenty minutes of counseling? 'Cause I'm really not interested in paying to get yelled at by a child."

"H-hey, I didn't yell!" Bianca responded, her lips drawn up into a pout. "I just told him what my sister would'a told me."

Oh, so Bianca had spent the time scolding him? That was _adorable_. Zelos couldn't help laughing. "I see. You got yelled at by a seven-year-old and now you're upset about it. That's hilarious, man."

"H-hey-!" Emmett started to protest, but Zelos and Bianca didn't seem to be listening. Zelos reached a hand out to Bianca, and she happily grabbed onto it.

"Let's go back to find Professor Low, okay? We can help them clean up and figure out what to do next."

"Okay! Thanks, Zelos!"

"...so, uh…" Emmett began awkwardly, "...does that mean I can go now?"

"Yes," Zelos replied. "I think you've made yourself useful enough for one day."

" _Hmph._ " Emmett turned away, grabbing his coat from the back of the chair and storming off toward the door. He wasn't looking, but Bianca waved at him anyway, and called out.

"Good luck! I hope you're able to apologize to your family."

Emmett paused and glanced back momentarily.

"Thanks. Good luck finding that _ideal_ dad of yours."

"That what?" Zelos asked.

Bianca grinned. "I'll tell you later- sometime when Genis is around."

"Alright, then. I'll remember that."

* * *

"I'm so sorry for the trouble! I shouldn't have left the responsibility of caring for Bianca on your shoulders-"

"H-hey, we're apologizing to _you_ , not the other way around!"

Zelos could feel the exasperation in his expression as he watched Genis try to reason with Nika. Their intention was to apologize for leaving Bianca behind, but Nika took it as a complaint and began apologizing herself. Zelos genuinely felt bad- this wasn't one of Colette's knee-jerk apologetic reactions. Nika _genuinely_ thought they were angry with her; that they blamed her for saddling them with a responsibility that, in fact, they had _volunteered_ to take. Zelos decided this wasn't the sort of situation that could be solved with his charm. He'd let Genis be a good boyfriend and work things out.

 _The girl is cute and all, but she's got some real issues to sort through. I don't envy Genis one bit._

After a few more reassurances, Nika finally smiled. "Well, my sister's always been a handful. Thank you, Genis, for always looking out for her."

"I enjoy it!" He was quick with a positive response. "Bianca's not just your sister, she's my friend too. Don't forget that."

Nika paused, giggled, and leaned in to give Genis' cheek a quick kiss. "You're too good to us."

Zelos had to suppress his laughter at the way Genis' face flashed beet-red from just a little peck on the cheek. He was so preoccupied with that, he almost didn't notice her turn to him.

"You too, Mister Zelos. Thank you for all your help today."

"Aw, hunny, there's no need for thanks," Zelos responded, giving her a friendly pat on the head as she bowed. "Despite how I seem, I actually love kids."

"I never thought you didn't!"

That statement brought on a scoff from Genis, but Zelos just sent him a glare, not wanting to get into a fight with Nika's boyfriend right in front of her. Instead, he turned his attention across the room, where Bianca was helping Colette and Sheena pack a suitcase full of the belongings Lloyd had left at the manor.

"-but how come Mister Lloyd has a bunch of the same clothes, then?"

"It's his favorite outfit," Colette explained as she finished folding one of the shirts. "He likes it so much that his dad makes him several sets- that way he can wear it over and over."

"Wow! He said his dad made his gloves too- so his dad makes _all_ his clothes for him?"

"Just about." Sheena nodded. "That's why his style is so… _unique._ "

Bianca stepped back and closed her eyes, a dreamy expression passing over her face. "What an amazing dad. He must love Mister Lloyd a whooole bunch."

"He sure does!" Colette replied. "Lloyd is so lucky to have two dads that love him so much."

Bianca had run over to the hall to help Raine and Seles with the boxes they were carrying in, but stopped suddenly as she heard the statement. "Wait… twodads? Mister Lloyd has _two_ dads?"

"Hm? What's this about Lloyd's dads?" Raine finally made it through the doorway and over to the table, dropping the box with a sigh of relief and turning to help Seles with hers. "This is the last of it, by the way."

"Thanks." Sheena nodded in Raine's direction and then turned back to Bianca. "That's right, Lloyd has two dads, named Dirk and Kratos. Dirk is a craftsman, and he's the one who made Lloyd's clothes. Kratos is a soldier, and he's the captain of the militia that's keeping the city safe right now."

Bianca made a show of pouting. "Man, that's so cool. Lloyd's so lucky, not only having a cool dad, but having _two_!" She paused, her expression changing as she though over the situation. "...I've heard of this before, actually. There's a word for it, right? Like, having two dads, I mean. But I can't remember what it was."

The room went quiet as everyone glanced at one another, trying to figure out what she was thinking of. Colette was the first to take a guess. "Are you talking about the saying ' _it takes a village to raise a child_?"

"No, it was one word."

"Co-parenting?" Genis offered.

"No, not that."

"Adopted?" Raine ventured. "Adoptee?"

"No, no," Bianca replied, shaking her head. "It was… _oh_!" She smiled and clapped. "Homosexual!"

The awkward silence that followed was thankfully cut short by Zelos' inability to contain his laughter. He had to lean against the table for support, practically in tears. Colette and Raine were simultaneously trying to explain to Bianca that, _yes,_ she was _technically_ right, but Lloyd's situation was different. But Bianca's focus turned immediately to Zelos.

"What's so funny?"

"I-I'm sorry, I just can't help it. Kratos and Dirk? That's _hilarious_. Just the thought of it is- is- hah, I can't even _say_ it without laughing!" Zelos used the back of his hand to brush tears away from his eyes. "Honestly, though, if Kratos weren't constantly making googly eyes at Anna, I could see it. He seems to have a thing for feisty brunettes-"

"Anna?" Bianca interrupted. "Who's that? A friend of yours?"

Seles broke in, approaching her brother from behind and peeking around his shoulder to look down at Bianca. "She's Lloyd's mom, but Zelos is close to her too. Zelos and I lost our moms when we were kids, so Lloyd shares his with us."

The statement was successful in helping Zelos overcome his laughing fit. He took a deep breath and knelt down beside Bianca, nodding his head. "Lloyd knows how lucky he is on the parent-front, so he's willing to share with those of us who aren't so lucky."

"I'd be happy to share my dad too," Colette added, approaching and kneeling down beside the two. "I only have the one, but he's pretty great."

Bianca reached out to hug her. "Thanks, Miss Colette! But… even if I don't know him, my dad's still alive _somewhere._ " She pulled her arms away and turned back around to her sister. "...Nika, can you tell me about my dad?"

Nika's eyes went wide momentarily, and her body froze. "What? Right now?"

"Is now a bad time? I just wanna know what he's like; what kind of person he is."

"No, no, it's not a bad time. It's just so sudden-"

Sheena picked up the suitcase and one of the boxes, nodding in Colette's direction and then in Nika's. "Don't worry. Colette and I are taking these to Song's place for Lloyd. We'll give you some privacy."

"O-oh, no, no, that's not what I meant!" Nika shook her head. "I'm just, uh, not good with talking when I'm put on the spot, is all. Really, there's nothing private about it. You're all welcome to stay if you're curious." She paused and her expression softened. "He was a human, but even so, he was kind to half-elves… he did so much for me, and I learned a lot from him. I see a lot of that kindness and intelligence in you, Bianca, and it makes me happy. You've just never asked about him like this before. So if you want to know more, of course I'll tell you."

Bianca giggled, throwing her arms around Nika's waist. "Thank you! You're the best big-sister ever! Come on, let's go sit on the couch-"

As Nika and Bianca got settled, Colette, Sheena, and Raine left with Lloyd's belongings in tow, promising to be back before it was too late. Genis offered to go with them, but Bianca asked him to stay, so he took a spot on the couch beside her. Zelos, meanwhile, took hold of Seles' hand and motioned toward the hall.

"It's about time you usually take an afternoon nap. Do you want me to walk with you back to your ro-"

"Actually, I'd like to stay."

Zelos paused. He tossed a glance back at Bianca and lowered his voice. "...huh? But Sis, you barely know them-"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I can't be curious. No matter how positively Nika- or anyone- may speak of him, there has to be a catch. He clearly has no interest in being part of his daughter's life. I can sympathize… can't you?"

"I suppose." Zelos frowned and glanced away. "Alright, we can stay. But keep your distance and don't get too emotionally involved, alright? Bianca's dad isn't our dad, so you can't let yourself get fixated on him as a symbol of your own paternal issues. Alright?"

Seles slipped her hand out of his and began walking toward one of the chairs opposite the couch.

"I can't make any promises."


	39. Chapter 39

As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 128:**  
 _Tha fortan anns na tha air fhàgail._  
There is luck in the leftovers.

39-

Lloyd was taking an afternoon nap in Song's room when his friends arrived, but once he managed to wake up enough to greet them, they could tell he was more alert than before. He wasn't under such strong influence from the pain medicine, and upon discussing their plans to escort him out of Meltokio the next morning, he was much less excitable in his contributions to the conversation.

"...yeah, Dad finally felt comfortable enough to scold me properly. Song gave me another exam this morning after breakfast and said I still needed to take it easy, especially after how worked up I got last night. Dad really let me have it after that- how I needed to be less impulsive and take better care of my body while I'm hurt…" He laughed weakly, shaking his head. "So I'll listen to what you guys tell me, don't worry."

"A wise decision," Raine replied with a satisfied smile. "Genis and I are going out with Zelos tonight to collect the rheiards, so you need to get as much rest as you can in the meantime."

Lloyd nodded and glanced around. "So, uh, where _are_ Genis and Zelos?"

"Zelos stayed back to help his sister," Colette replied, "and Genis was talking with Nika and Bianca about family stuff."

"Family stuff? Geez." Lloyd cracked a cheeky grin. "Are they already that serious? I though Genis _just_ asked Nika out."

Raine shook her head. "It was Bianca who asked him to stay. I think she's more serious about Genis and Nika's relationship than either of them are yet."

"Hah! I guess it's true what they say- when you date someone, you date their whole family."

"Is that a Dwarven Vow?" Colette asked, leaning closer.

"No, just a saying I've heard around. I think it's pretty accurate, though. Right, Sheena?" There was a pause, and while Lloyd tried to catch her eyes, she seemed to be looking elsewhere. "Sheena? Is something wrong? You've been totally quiet this whole time. Quieter than usual."

At the sound of her name a second time, Sheena flinched. "O-oh! Uh, yeah, I'm fine."

" _Yeah_ , that's how you sound when you're not fine. What is it?"

Raine and Colette both glanced over at Sheena, waiting for her to explain. On the walk there, they'd discussed drawing straws to determine who had to break the news to Lloyd about his new sword. Sheena reluctantly volunteered to do it, figuring that she had a certain responsibility to Lloyd because of their relationship. But she'd been conspicuously quiet throughout the whole conversation, and both Raine and Colette were wondering if they should step in.

"It's-" Colette started, but Sheena cut her off.

"I'm sorry, I should've said something earlier. Do you... remember how you were wearing your new sword on Sunday?"

"Y-yeah, of course I do," Lloyd answered, a confused frown on his face. "If I'd swapped it out for one of my usual swords, I'd have been off-balance, so I wore it on my back instead-" He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening. "Wait, is it okay? It didn't get damaged when I got hit, did it? _Sheena_!"

She bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Lloyd. The blade was completely shattered."

"What? No, no, _no_!" Lloyd scrambled to sit up and clamber out of bed. "Let me see!"

"Wait, Lloyd! What did you just say about taking care of yourself-?" Colette jumped up and latched onto his arm, holding him in place.

"No way! You've gotta be kidding me! It can't have-"

"Lloyd, here."

Sheena's voice gave Lloyd and Colette pause. She pulled a metal object from the pouch on the side of her tunic and held it out toward them.

"This is what's left. The rest of the sword took the brunt of the hit for you. It saved your life, Lloyd."

Lloyd reached a hand shakily toward the hilt, wrapping his fingers around the warped outer casing. "It… saved…?"

"That's why you have all those stitches in your back," Raine responded with an affirmative nod. "The doctors at the hospital had to remove all the steel shards before they could close the wound."

"B-but the blade was made in the Dwarven style with iron laminations to prevent shattering-"

"The force contained in the assassin's spell was far greater and more concentrated than anything you'd find in physical combat."

"B-but it's said that the legendary smith Ferrera made blades so flexible that he could roll his sword up and hide it in his beard-"

"Lloyd, now you're just talking nonsense!"

"B-but-"

" _What's all this commotion? Lloyd, I thought you were back on bedrest._ "

Another pair appeared in the doorway, the taller of the two watching with a critical frown. The group looked up, and Lloyd shrunk back in recognition and took a few steps back to sit on the bed.

"...K-Kratos… I'm so sorry…"

"Lloyd, sweetie, what's wrong?" Anna squeezed around Kratos so that she could run over to the bed and sit beside him. Colette and Sheena stepped away to give them some space, and Raine looked over at Kratos.

"Where did you come from? You weren't here when we got here."

"I just arrived to speak with Yuan about plans for tomorrow. I've coordinated militia support for the potential conflict at the Great Tree and needed to get his approval as the sponsor, but I wanted to see Lloyd before that. Anna said he was in here with you three."

"You have really good timing," Sheena began, "...or really bad timing. Either way, we needed to apologize to you- and _thank_ you."

"Thank me? For what?"

Lloyd bowed his head and held up the hilt for Kratos to see. "I'm so, so sorry, Kratos. I know this must've been really expensive, and you had it made just for me. I shouldn't have acted so recklessly while carrying it. The fact that you sent me such a wonderful gift made me so happy, and… and…"

As Lloyd's voice trailed off, Kratos reached down and took the warped hilt from his hands. He examined it, turning it over a few times as he did so.

"A gift… Anna, did you send Lloyd a gift and put my name on it?"

"Huh?" Anna asked, sitting up straighter. "No, of course not."

"Lloyd, where did you get this?" Kratos handed the hilt back to him. "I've never seen a handle with quite that design before."

Lloyd accepted the hilt back, but spent a few seconds looking back and forth between it and Kratos. "W-wait… what? You didn't send this to me? But it came in the mail with your gift! The one that said 'Happy Unification Day or Whatever, from Kratos."

"Or whatever?" Anna repeated, shooting a glance back at Kratos. "Happy unification day or _whatever_?"

Kratos flushed and buried his face in one hand. "That damned Yuan must have written the card…" He let out a sigh before picking his head up and continuing. "Yes, I sent you a gift, but only the vase-"

"It was an incense burner."

"-only the incense burner. If you received a sword, I had nothing to do with it."

"B-but they came in the mail together!" Lloyd protested. "If it wasn't you, then-"

"Actually, they weren't necessarily _together_ ," Sheena interrupted. "They were in separate boxes, remember? We assumed they were a set, but that was our own error. You said yourself, you'd told Kratos the day before that you wanted a sword like this. That being fresh in your mind, plus having received it at the same time as his gift, you'd naturally assume it was from him."

Lloyd frowned and looked over the hilt carefully. "But who besides Kratos would send me a sword like thi-?"

He froze, unable to even finish his question. The hilt fell from his hands and brushed against his leg before tumbling onto the floor. He fumbled for it as he jumped up from the bed and staggered toward the door.

"Dammit, damn it all! Dad must think I'm such an ungrateful little-" He got past the door and out into the hallway before stopping briefly and poking his head back into the room. "Where is Dad?"

"H-he's downstairs. Song promised to show him the kiln… but Lloyd, you can't-" Anna chased after him and grabbed hold of his arm. "-you can't run all the way down there. Just stay in bed and let us go get Dirk for you."

"No way! I've gotta find him myself!"

Lloyd wrenched his arm from her grip and made a dash down the hall. Colette and Sheena ran to help Anna, but they got stuck at the doorway as they both tried to exit at the same time. They were thrown off-balance as they bumped into one another and began to apologize, but Raine pushed them both out of the way so that she could get through.

"That idiot's going to hurt himself- and after all Doctor Lu has done to take care of him!"

Anna followed after Raine, but Colette and Sheena looked to Kratos for confirmation before they took off with the rest of the group. "Should we…?" Colette began, and stopped as Kratos responded with a dismissive wave.

"It's probably best not to have us all running around this little apartment. Let Anna and Raine take care of this one. If anyone can keep Lloyd from hurting himself, it's them."

Colette and Sheena weren't satisfied with that, but they stayed anyway. It was better than causing even more of a commotion.

* * *

"-so that the heat from the fuel circulates more evenly. This one is a pretty common kiln used here in Meltokio, but it can still create a reduction atmosphere similar to the large dragon kilns we used back in my hometown. The flue vents into the chimney here, see?"

Song was busy showing off his equipment to Dirk, positively ecstatic to find another craftsman interested in learning about his techniques. His enthusiasm was contagious, and Dirk couldn't help a smile as he watched.

"Whit temperature dae ye fire at, generally?" he asked, examining the firebox on the underside of the kiln.

"Well, typically I like to stay around 1250 degrees centigrade to get the best colors. It's easier to control using oil as fuel, but I prefer wood, since that's what we always used when I was a child."

"Keepin' wood fires at a constant temperature is a toogh job, especially when it's 'at hot. I use coal myself, an' hardly ever gie tae those kinds ay temperatures except wi' certain types ay steel. Is thaur a specific wood ye always use?"

Song ran over to a wood pile in the corner, holding up a couple of pieces to show off. "We use various types of wood, but pine is most common. Actually, that's what my name means- _Song,_ written with the character for ' _pine tree_."

"Aye, is 'at sae _?_ Someain named ye well, 'en."

"Haha, ya think?" Song blushed and put the wood back so that he had a hand free to self-consciously cover one cheek. "Oh, I haven't even shown you the best part! Let's go look at the outside of the chimney-"

" _DAD?"_

The voice from the top of the staircase cut off their conversation, and Dirk spun around to face the doorway. "Lloyd, whit ur ye doin'-" he began, more of a reprimand than a question, considering Lloyd was out of bed and had descended at least one flight of steps already. But Lloyd began to respond anyway as he rushed down the stairs to the basement workshop.

"I-I'm so sorry, I realized I never properly thanked you, and I just had to- _agh!_ "

His foot hit the edge of one of the stairs at an angle as he descended, and it slipped against the smooth wood onto the step below, sending Lloyd toppling over. He reached frantically for the banister, but he hadn't had a grip on it to start with, and didn't manage to get ahold of it before it was too late. He skidded down the last few steps on his back, coming to rest in a split second at the bottom of the staircase with a pained expression.

"... _oh_ gods _, that hurt…_ "

"Lloyd!" Song shrieked, dashing over to kneel beside him and propping him up to examine. "What part of BEDREST do you not understand?!"

Dirk, meanwhile, had retrieved the metal object that had gone flying out of Lloyd's hand when he'd fallen. It had skidded across the basement floor and come to a stop practically at his feet, so he didn't have to go far. But examining it more closely gave him pause. "Lloyd, whit is-?"

"I'm so sorry, Dad…" Lloyd murmured, his words forced through gritted teeth despite the pain. "The sword you worked so hard on for my sake… was totally destroyed… all because of me…"

Song looked up for a split second once he'd finished unbuttoning Lloyd's shirt. "That sword- _you_ made that sword?"

"...aye," Dirk responded, still staring at the warped remains of the hilt. "Bit I didnae 'hink ye'd gotten it yet-"

"That sword was _incredibly_ well-made! Er, I don't know anything about swords, but from a doctor's point of view, it was a literal life-saver. Lloyd would've been dead without it. ...ah, shit. Lloyd, you've opened up five of your damn stitches. Can you not _listen_ to people when they tell you to _be careful_? Dirk, get me the first aid kit that's on the bottom shelf over there."

Dirk was quiet as he retrieved the kit, following Song's instructions with the gauze and alcohol to clean the area. In the meantime, another pair of voices from the top of the stairs could be heard, and Song called up to them as he recognized them.

"Hey, Anna- fair warning, there's blood and an open wound down here, so I'd rather you not get close if you feel like you're going to vomit-"

The warning wasn't needed, but it also didn't do much good, as she was already at the bottom of the stairs by the time Song finished talking. "Lloyd, sweetie, what did you _do_?!"

"Fell down the stairs, it looks like," Raine added as she made it to the bottom of the staircase beside Anna. "You just can't follow directions, can you?"

"I-it already hurts bad enough, Raine…" Lloyd stammered. "Don't make it worse."

"I _have_ to make it worse! You don't seem to learn any other way-"

"That's enaw," Dirk interrupted, and Raine took a step back at the seriousness in his voice. "Song, whit did ye mean when ye said 'at he'd be dead withit this sword?"

Song pressed an absorbent bandage against Lloyd's back so that he could take his focus off the wound for a moment. "Well, the attack that hit Lloyd was concentrated into an extremely small area of focus. It was meant as a killing blow, to rip open the target's chest cavity and cause death through severe organ trauma and hemorrhaging. But because it hit the blade straight on, the sword absorbed the majority of the shock. It shattered and prevented the attack from killing Lloyd instantly."

"Sae it…"

"It saved his life," Raine finished. "Did you make this sword, Dirk? If so, why didn't you say anything?"

"Aye, I did. Though I didnae 'hink it hud arrived yet. Th' mail tae Luin has bin unreliable since it was rooted ben Palmacosta instead ay bein' delivered directly tae th' port. I was late finishin' it an' didnae want tae ruin th' surprise ay th' gift if he hadn't gotten it. I didnae realize…"

"You worked so hard on it… it was a perfect, one-of-a-kind gift… I loved it so much… I'm so, so sorry, Dad…" Lloyd spoke with tears at the edges of his eyes, holding back sobs. Dirk sighed, reaching out and placing his hand against Lloyd's cheek.

"Ye didnae read mah note, did ye, Lloyd _?_ "

"...n-note?"

"Th' sword was a gift, aye, bit it was also a challenge. I speart ye tae show me ye waur serious abit thes smithin' school by agreein' tae tak' oan a Dwarven-style blade as yer first project. Ye're a dual-swordsman, min'? Thes one was my gift tae ye, an' the companion sword was tae be forged by ye. That's whit mah note said."

"D-Dad…" Lloyd's face was already pale, but the way his eyes widened and his mouth hung agape seemed to heighten the effect. "I'm so sorry… you finally gave me a chance to prove myself and I broke it before I could even say thank you..."

Dirk wiped the tears away from Lloyd's eyes. "Swords can aye be forged again. Th' metalwork oan th' hilt can be salvaged an' we can make anither blade. Bit I only hae one son. If it means savin' yer life, I'd sacrifice a thousand swords, a million hours in th' forge… 'at is replaceable. Ye aren't." He paused and grinned. "If ye pure want tae apologize, dae it by stayin' in bed and lettin' yer body heal like th' doctur says. Ye've ne'er been guid at followin' directions, bit just thes aince, can ye _please_ dae as ye're tald?"

"D-Dad…" Lloyd was crying openly by this point, his speech shaky and his eyes glazed over in pain. "...I-I love you so much, Dad…"

"Uh, Professor Sage, can you help me get Lloyd back upstairs?" Song asked, looking up at Raine. "My surgical thread is up there, as well as the anaesthetic. And Anna, if you could get me a package of sterile gloves, that'd be great."

Raine bent down to help get a better grip on Lloyd's legs, allowing Song to position his torso so that there wasn't too much stress on his back. "I say we skip the anaesthetic," she suggested. "He deserves a little extra punishment for acting so recklessly-"

"Nope. Nope. Nope. I am _not_ going to stitch up a patient without anaesthetic- especially not one who's bigger and stronger than I am. Not happening. Not a chance."

Anna gave a nervous laugh. "You really are hard on him, aren't you, Raine?"

"I-I'm strict with him because I _care_!" she stammered. "Honestly, you sound like Genis! So what if he needs a little extra punishment to keep him on the right track… Dirk knows what I'm talking about, right?"

"Actually, I agree wi' Anna oan thes one. 'at's jist tae much _._ "

"You too?! Come on…"

* * *

"Where to start…?" Nika murmured, more to herself than to anyone else. "How about this, Bianca? Since you're the one who asked, you tell me what you'd like to know."

Bianca smiled and leaned closer. "You always said you wouldn't tell me his name until I was older. Am I _older_ yet?"

"That depends. You're resourceful, and that worries me. Are you mature enough to promise that you won't use his name to embark on some wild adventure to track him down?"

There was a pause as Bianca thought it over. She closed her eyes, frowned, and then shook her head. "You're right. I can't promise that."

Genis placed a hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh. "At least you're honest with yourself."

Bianca didn't respond to his comment, too wrapped up in thinking of another question. "So…" she began, looking back up at her sister, "...how did he meet Mama?"

"He worked at the estate too," Nika replied, "so he and Mama always kind of knew _of_ each other. But it wasn't until a couple years after my dad died that they started to take interest in one another. Your father would often work late and requested that Mama bring cake and coffee to his quarters in the evenings. Some nights she'd stay with him and not get back until morning. Our coworkers in the kitchen worried about Mama, but I thought it was sweet..."

Seles leaned over and whispered to her brother as Nika continued the description.

"They probably had reason to worry for her. A half-elf indentured servant could very easily be taken advantage of by a higher-up, especially a human-"

Zelos cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Don't let Bianca hear you. This is her parents' love story, remember?"

"Would you have wanted to pretend that Father and your mother were in love even if it wasn't true?"

"If the truth hadn't been so painfully obvious?" Zelos hissed in reply. "Yeah, I think I might have. At least while I was a _child_."

"...and that even though he was busy with his work," Nika continued on, unaware of the Wilders' aside, "he always made time for Mama and me."

"What job did he do? Cleaning or something?"

"Oh, no!" Nika shook her head. "He worked directly with Master Wilbur handling important financial and business transactions. I didn't understand at first, so he sat me down one day and explained it to me. While I didn't really get all of it, he was patient with me and answered all of my questions." She closed her eyes, a fond smile passing over her face. "Being with him, I almost felt like I was really in school. He was like my own personal teacher."

Bianca pressed closer to Nika's side, her eyes growing wider as she listened. "What kinda things did he teach you?"

"All kinds! He let me borrow his own books and taught me things like mathematics and literature. We did problem sets together, and he'd give me assignments to work on myself- or he'd let me borrow a novel and read on my own time so that we could discuss it when we were together. He even went through and painstakingly graded my work, looking over every math problem and reading my essays on the literature themes…" Nika places a hand against one cheek as her face flushed with excitement. "...he'd scold me when I got things wrong, just like a real teacher would, but he'd also give me wonderful praise when I did well. I recall once when I got an A+ on a book report- it was a novel called ' _The Good Earth_ ,' all about a poor man who suddenly gains wealth and finds that happiness comes from family and not money- oh, he was so proud of me! The way his eyes sparkled… I'll never forget that day."

" _Wow_."

She had gotten so wrapped up in her personal flashback that she was surprised to open her eyes and find Genis staring at her, face bright red.

"...huh? Genis? You're staring- did I say something weird?"

"Wh-what? No, no!" Genis frantically waved his hands in front of him, trying to distract from his face without hitting Bianca. "I just, uh… th-that is… you looked so happy, I could see in your eyes how much you looked up to him. And seeing you that happy makes me really happytoo. Your face is…er, I mean, not just your _face_ but the rest of you too… I-I mean, you're always pretty, but when you light up like this, you're just… um..." He bowed his head and quickly blurted out "SORRY, I'M INTERRUPTING. PLEASE CONTINUE."

Zelos smirked and muttered " _smooth move, Romeo"_ under his breath.

Bianca was giggling at him, so Genis turned away so that she couldn't see his red face and waved her back in her sister's direction. "D-don't you have some other questions?"

Wiping a tear away from her eye, Bianca managed to stifle her laughter and continue the conversation. "S-so, Nika, how come he left the estate? Did he get a new job?"

"That's right. He got a prestigious job at some military institution and moved there to work."

"When was this? How old was I?"

Nika paused and thought it over, her expression clouding. "Ah, well… to tell the truth, I'm not completely sure. Around that time I fell very ill, so it's all a bit blurry. I was bedridden for a while, so I can't say for sure, but I think he left a few months before you were born."

Bianca froze, her earlier amusement completely gone. "B-before…? I thought he at least stayed until I was born."

"Did I say that? I don't think I ever did…" Nika forced a smile. "B-but even so, I send pictures regularly, so it isn't like he's never seen you…"

"Uh," Genis broke in, raising one hand, "may I ask what happened to you? I didn't know you'd been so sick-"

"Huh? Oh, no, no!" Nika was quick to cut him off. "It was just a one-time infection, really. I'm fine now, and that's all that matters."

"That's not-"

"But you didn't get to say goodbye to my dad, did you?" Bianca broke in, cutting off Genis' worried protests.

"No, I didn't."

"Doesn't that make you sad?"

"...a little, I suppose," Nika answered. "But it's not like I'd never see him again. My only real regret is being too sick to be there for _you_ when you were born… I was so out of it, I couldn't get out of bed or do anything, I was unconscious half the time… it was like I fell asleep, then woke up three weeks later and you were just _there_."

There was a moment of silence. Bianca seemed to shrink a little, her eyes falling to the floor.

"I was there… and Mama wasn't."

Zelos was listening closely to the tone of their voices, and the way Bianca said that made his stomach churn. That was the voice of someone who blamed themselves for a tragedy; someone who wanted to apologize and yet felt that what they'd done was unforgivable. He didn't like that tone at all. It was too familiar- _especially_ to hear from a child.

"D-don't you have any more questions? We're talking about your dad, remember?" Nika forced a smile and continued, her voice overly pleasant in light of the room's atmosphere. Bianca turned her face back up and replied with the same seriousness.

"Is that why my dad doesn't want anything to do with me? Does he blame me for taking Mama away from him?"

" _What_?" Nika's face went pale. "No, of course not! It's not anything like that! How could you even-"

"But if it weren't for me, Mama would still be alive!" Bianca protested. "It's my fault! Why else would he hate me so much?"

"He… he doesn't hate you… he could never…" Nika reached out and placed her hands on Bianca's shoulders, her expression growing stern. "Don't _ever_ say that it's your fault. You hear me? Don't believe it, don't even _think_ it. It wasn't your choice for Mama to go through what she did. It was her choice and hers alone."

"But-!" Bianca started to argue, but Nika cut her off.

"Mama knew it was dangerous for you to be born. She wasn't the right age to have a baby, and there were complications from the start. She knew she was putting herself in danger. But she _wanted_ you to live, Bianca. She sacrificed her health, her wellbeing, her very _life_ so that you could have a chance." Nika wrapped her arms around Bianca, pulling her in close. "Mama did what she did because she loved you. She was willing to sacrifice everything for you. So don't ever think…"

As Nika comforted her sister, Seles stood up and turned abruptly toward the door. "I've heard enough. I'm going to my room."

Zelos scrambled to his feet, chasing after her. "S-Seles, wait! Hold on a sec! This isn't-"

"Zelos?" Genis spoke up, staring across the room at where Seles had been sitting. "What happened-?"

"Oh, Seles is just tired! I'm gonna escort her back to her room so she can take a nap. I'm so sorry for interrupting. Don't mind me!"

"Wait!" Nika called out for him as he reached the door. "Was it something I said?"

The question gave him pause for a split second.

"No," Zelos lied. "Of course it wasn't."


	40. Chapter 40

As usual, I don't own anything (except too many ocs and subplots that need resolving), I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 62** :  
 _Slàinte nas fheàrr na beairteas_.  
Health is better than wealth.

 **40-**

"Seles! Hey! Seles- hold on a second!"

Zelos nearly tripped on the rug as he stumbled down the hallway after his sister. Seles didn't turn around or acknowledge him, but she didn't change her pace, and he was eventually able to catch up.

"Hey, will you stop for a second?" he asked, grabbing one of her wrists to hold her in place. "About what Nika said back there… I know why you're upset, but the thing is-"

"Upset?" Seles finally spoke to him, pulling her hand away and turning around so that they could talk face to face. "You're mistaken. I'm just tired. Didn't I say that?"

Zelos let out a frustrated sigh. "Seles, come on now. Don't play this game with me."

"I'm not playing a game. I don't have the energy for it. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm late for my afternoon nap-" Seles turned around again, starting back down the hall. However, Zelos gave one more appeal.

"Seles, listen to me! I don't think she's right!"

Seles stopped, but didn't turn around. "Who?"

"Nika! Her mom! I…" Zelos stopped, let out a sigh, and smoothed his hair as he drew in another deep breath. "Maybe you're not upset, and that's fine. I can't speak for you. But I _can_ speak for me, and I want you to know that I don't think the girls' mother made the right decision. The way Nika talked, she made her mother out to be some kind of hero, who sacrificed herself for Bianca's sake. But I don't find that heroic."

Seles frowned. "Zelos-"

"No, I guess that's not right to say. Bianca's a good kid and I'm happy she's alive. Having known her, I'd hate to think of her never being born. But she's grown up without a mother, clearly troubled by a sense of guilt that no child her age should have to deal with. And Nika- not only did she lose her mom at a young age, but she practically _became_ a mom when she was… what… _thirteen?_ All because her mother willingly allowed herself to die. She left those two children _and_ Bianca's father alone. What she did wasn't wrong, but…" Zelos had been looking away up to this point, not wanting to scare Seles off with an intense glare. But he stopped speaking momentarily so that he could look up and catch his sister's eyes. "...if she had made a _different_ decision; if she had chosen to prioritize her _own_ life… she wouldn't have been wrong either. At least, that's what I believe."

Seles forced a pained smile and looked away. "It's incredible how you can say that with a straight face. Everything you just said- it contradicts itself. You're a hypocrite. We're all hypocrites."

"Seles-"

"You of all people know how much it would hurt a child to think they never should have been born. And here you are saying it would have been okay if Bianca never had. What's the point in that?"

"I didn't say it was _okay_!" Zelos grabbed Seles' face, his hands resting against her cheeks, and turned her head back to face him. "But it's not _okay_ that Nika lost her mother either! Sometimes in life, we're forced to make choices where _neither_ option is 'okay.' Whether it's our fault or not, it happens, and we have to make the choice that we believe will hurt the fewest people. We have to make the choice that we, ourselves, can live with. And if it _is_ our fault, then we learn from our mistakes and move on. That's life."

Seles couldn't move her head with his hands against her cheeks, but she was making a clear effort not to look him in the eye. He sighed and pulled his hands away, taking a step back.

"Look at it this way. I've made a lot of bad choices in my life. I've made the wrong decision when there _was_ a right decision to make. I did it _so_ many times. But I can't ever go back and change what I did. As long as I learn from those times I didn't choose the right path, then letting my regrets weigh down on me only prevents me from making the right decisions in the future. So, to see someone I love obsessing over making a wrong decision when there wasn't even a _right_ decision at all…" He let out a forced laugh. "...well, that's just stupid, y'know?"

Seles was quiet, looking down to the floor. She didn't say anything at first, just shifting her weight back and forth as she thought it over. Finally, she looked up, bit her lip, and threw her arms around her brother. Zelos was thrown off momentarily, but once he realized what was happening, he pulled her close.

"Thank you," Seles spoke, her voice muffled against his chest so that he almost couldn't hear her. "As much as I hate to admit it, I needed to hear that."

"What? That you can never do as much wrong as I have?" Zelos laughed.

"I guess that's part of it."

"Only part?"

"Well…" She shook her head, staying close to him. "...I want to take better care of my health. I want to improve so that someday, if faced with the same circumstances, I'll be _able_ to make a right decision."

"Heh, I'd rather believe that you've learned your lesson and won't get careless again once your health has improved-"

"Brother!"

Zelos released his grip, prompting her to do the same, and then stepped back. "Sorry, I'm keeping you from your nap," he said with a grin and a wink. "You're still tired, right?"

"Oh, that's…" Seles blushed. "I, uh, was probably just drowsy after having such a big lunch. I'm okay-"

"What? After all that grief you gave me?" Zelos laughed again, this time loudly and genuinely, looping his arm around her shoulders. "Come on. Let's go."

"Go where?" Seles dug her heels into the carpet as he tried to corral her down the hallway.

"Uh, your room? You said yourself, you're late for your afternoon nap. Hazel will have my hide if I don't make sure you get your rest."

"Brother, _please_!"

Seles continued to protest, but it was more playful banter than any genuine argument, and Zelos could tell. He played along, escorting her back to her room and staying by her side as she made herself comfortable. The two continued their conversation for a while, Zelos perched on the end of the bed. Eventually he could see her starting to doze off, and left the room with a promise that he'd have dinner with her before leaving the city that evening.

"...be careful," she warned as he closed the door.

"Don't worry. I will."

Zelos closed the door gently, waiting for it to click before he took his hand off the knob. He turned and headed back toward the drawing room where he'd left Genis and the others before. They might not still be there, but it was a good place to start looking for them, at least. He wanted to apologize to them, especially to Nika and Bianca, hoping that Seles running off hadn't startled them.

"Oh, Mister Zelos! There you are!"

Seeing the look on Nika's face as she suddenly appeared around the corner, waving at him from down the hall, Zelos stopped short. It was a worried, almost pained expression.

 _No such luck, huh?_

"Hey, Nika, what's going on-" Zelos stopped and waved, trying to keep things casual, but that only seemed to further her panic. Seeing him stop, she sprinted to make up the distance between them and had to pause to catch her breath before continuing.

"M...Mister… Zelos… I've been looking for you. Is Miss Seles alright?"

"Yeah, she's fine. She was just tired, so I took her back to her room and hung out with her 'til she fell asleep. She usually takes an afternoon nap around two o'clock, so she was a little overdue- you didn't scare her off or anything."

"I see… but even so…" Nika blushed, but she kept her eyes on Zelos. "Genis told me what happened. I had no idea, but I can see how what I said would've hurt you terribly-"

"Genis _told you_?" Zelos interrupted. "What did he _tell_ you, exactly? What does he know?"

"Huh? Should he not have-?" Nika cut off her sentence and paused before rephrasing. "I mean, he didn't tell us much. Just that you and Seles lost your mothers when you were young, around the same time. I'm sorry if that was something you'd prefer to keep private- I promise I won't share it with anyone, and I'll talk to Bianca about-"

"No, no, that's fine!" Zelos had let out a sigh of relief as she spoke, but when she started to get frantic, he broke in again. "That's pretty much common knowledge. I was afraid that Colette might've said something else to Genis that I'd rather not- _er_ , never mind. Point is- Seles says she's fine, that her leaving had nothing to do with what you said. And if it _did_ bother her, it's her fault for staying and eavesdropping on your personal conversation. That's on her, not you."

"It really wasn't eavesdropping, since we knew she was there," Nika replied, wringing her hands. "So I still want to apologize to both of you. And say that I'm sorry about what happened with your mother."

By this point, Zelos had begun to realize that telling her not to apologize was no good. He just had to accept her apology, or this was going to go on forever.

"Thanks. I appreciate it. It actually means something coming from someone who knows what that's like."

Nika stood up straighter, putting her hands down by her sides. "Oh! Well, I mean, it was probably tougher for you. You were a little younger, and besides, I wasn't exactly… _close_ to my mom."

"You weren't?"

"It's complicated."

Zelos smiled. That was the universal code for ' _I don't want to talk about it,_ ' and he respected that. "I see. Well, it's still tough. It was tough on my end, and my mom wasn't exactly close to _me_."

For the first time in the conversation, Nika smiled. "That's too bad. You're really a kind person, Mister Zelos."

"Hah! I'm not as bad as Genis makes me out to be, is what you're saying?"

"Wh-what? Oh no, he doesn't…" Nika's smile disappeared as she tried to defend Genis, but Zelos could see in her eyes as her voice trailed off that she'd almost cornered herself into a lie and was trying to regroup. "...I mean, he just…"

"It's okay. I don't hold it against him. He's got plenty of reasons to dislike me." Zelos held his hands up and shrugged his shoulders. "And besides that, we just like to mess with each other. That's how our friendship works. Speaking of which, where'd he and Bianca run off to?"

"Professor Raine and the others just got back from the doctor's house, so Genis and Bianca went to speak to them."

"Oh, good! They can give us an update on how Lloyd's doing while we eat dinner." Zelos started down the hallway and motioned for Nika to follow him. "Come on."

"Yes, sir!"

Her response was so formal and rehearsed, it reminded Zelos of the way his servants spoke. The thought reminded him of something that had been on his mind since that morning at Professor Low's, and he couldn't help but ask.

"Hey, come to think of it, I was wondering… your surname is Wilbur, right? And you mentioned a 'Master Wilbur' when you were taking earlier. Did you work for a Wilbur family at one time?"

"That's right!" Nika responded with a nod, her smile returning. "My family worked at the Crystal Paradise resort in the Toize Valley- the one that's run by the Duke and Duchess of Toize."

The two had been walking side by side down the hall toward the staircase, but Zelos stopped midway as she finished her statement.

"No. Way."

Nika had to stop and turn around. "What's that? Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just… I didn't realize it was _that_ Wilbur family. That's my aunt and uncle."

"Your _what_?"

"Yeah!" Zelos took a couple steps forward to catch up with Nika, and then another so that he could lean against the railing along the edge of the staircase. "Aunt Charis' maiden name was Wilder. She's my father's younger sister."

Nika stared quietly for a moment before running and grabbing Zelos' hands. " _That's it!_ I _knew_ you looked familiar, but I couldn't place it! It's been a long time, but I remember clearly; you so resemble Lady Charis and Young Master Emmett!"

Zelos tried not to let his expression falter as he heard Emmett's name. "Yeah, that's… that's right. It's that Wilder red hair. Once you're part of the family, there's no escaping it."

Nika giggled, moving one hand to cover her mouth. "You're just as charming as the young master too."

Zelos once again forced a smile. "Thanks… honestly, I'm glad you have fond memories of him. He had a reputation of treating the servants like-" He cut off and shook his head. "-er, not treating the servants well."

"Really? That's strange. He was always so kind and friendly to me."

"Yeah, well," Zelos replied, trying not to cringe as he said it, "I'm sure he was _friendly_ with all the servants around your age."

Nika laughed again, but this time it sounded more nervous. "To tell the truth, there really weren't any other servants around my age. Most of them were far older, old enough to be my parents or even grandparents. I never minded being surrounded by adults, but it was nice that the young master was willing to be friends with me."

If Zelos had any remaining traces of a smile before, they were long gone by that point. He stared, examining her with a critical gaze, the thoughts in his head moving so fast that he couldn't quite pin them down. "You're not…"

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh!" Zelos' shoulders went stiff and he raised his hands in front of his face, waving them dismissively. "It's nothing; don't worry. I got carried away there for a second. I'm just so surprised that you used to work with my family, my brain started jumping to weird ideas before I could stop it."

"Weird ideas?"

He shook his head, hoping that would suffice to answer her question. "Emmett and I were close as kids, but we grew apart once we got older and we haven't managed to catch up. But Aunt Charis has stayed in touch occasionally." Zelos grinned and winked. "She's the cool aunt I can count on to give me _good_ birthday presents. Not, like, socks or handkerchiefs or crap, y'know? Last year she gave me a gift inside a puzzle box that I had to decipher before I could even get into it-"

Nika didn't cover her mouth this time, laughing openly and throwing her arms around Zelos' neck as she tackled him in a hug. He was caught off-guard and stumbled backwards a few steps, but he caught his balance on the railing and was able to keep from falling over.

"You really are Lady Charis' nephew! This is _amazing_!" Nika was saying. "We're practically family!"

"Family, huh? I guess so."

Nika slid down from his shoulders, keeping just her arms hooked around them for balance. Zelos caught her waist so that she didn't fall, but it felt a little too intimate a gesture and he tried to encourage her to let go altogether.

"I think we're missing out on what the others are talking about. Why don't we-?"

" _Nika? Did you find Zelos-?_ "

By the time Genis finished his question, he was already at the top of the stairs with Raine following behind him. They both stopped short and stared, Raine's mouth agape and Genis' face turning a bright red.

Before either of them could speak, Nika jumped away from Zelos and ran to approach them instead. "G-Genis, this isn't-! I didn't mean to... I-I just got excited when Zelos told me that he knew the Wilbur family I used to work for…"

"Don't worry," Zelos spoke up, casually leaning back against the railing, as he already knew _exactly_ how this was going to go. Excuses weren't going to get him anywhere. He might as well accept their wrath like a man. "If they're gonna get mad at anyone, it's gonna be me. You're not in trouble."

Raine was already rolling up her sleeves. "You're damn right it's _you_ we're going to blame-"

"N-no! He didn't do anything to me! In fact, he looked like he was uncomfortable and I totally ignored it…" Nika was already hanging onto one of Genis' arms and reached out to grab Raine's wrist with her free hand. "Don't worry about us, please. We're, like, cousins."

Genis shot Zelos a glare. " _Cousins?"_

" _Like_ cousins," Zelos answered with a shrug and a wink. "So don't worry about it. In fact, now I want you two to be together even more! Wouldn't it be great for the two of us to be _like cousins_?"

"I don't want to be your cousin, Zelos."

"See? That's exactly what my real cousins say! We're practically family already!"

Raine let out a long, frustrated sigh. "We really don't have time to deal with your nonsense tonight, Zelos. Nika, why don't you go find Bianca? She's downstairs in the dining room talking with Colette and Sheena right now. Genis and I need to discuss our plans with Zelos right now, since the situation has changed somewhat."

"Y-yes, of course!" Nika let go of Raine's wrist and squeezed Genis' hand before disappearing down the staircase. There were a few moments of silence that followed, but Genis didn't need words to get his feelings across to Zelos. His expression said everything.

"Hey, buddy, don't look at me like that!" Zelos put his hands up. "Even if I weren't already head-over-heels for Colette, it's totally against my code to go after my bro's girl. Besides, Nika isn't my type anyway. You've got nothing to worry about."

"Not your _type_?" Genis asked. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Raine scoffed. "We should've known not to worry. As if Zelos would ever lower himself to pursue a half-elf-"

"That's not it! I'm just saying she's not Colette! Geez, you're determined to be mad at me, aren't you?"

Genis didn't look fazed by Zelos', excuse, but he looked up at Raine and she let out a sigh.

"Fine, we'll put this argument on hold for now. What's most important is altering our plans as best we can. Lloyd's condition really isn't ideal for transporting on a rheiard right now, so we'll have to figure out a safer way to get him to Iselia."

Zelos took a step over to one of the chairs that was placed against the wall, and motioned the others to sit down with him. "What do you mean, his condition isn't ideal? He seemed to be doing well enough yesterday."

Genis sat down beside Zelos- taking a moment to scoot the chair away a little- and replied with restrained frustration. "Yeah, well, that was yesterday."

"Did something happen?"

Raine didn't sit down, instead standing by Genis' chair. She wasn't as good at hiding her own frustration, and had to speak partially through clenched teeth. "Lloyd was healing very well until he decided to _fall_ down an entire _flight of stairs_."

"He did WHAT?! How? When?"

"Just tonight," Raine answered. "He got worked up about his new sword being broken and tried to run down the stairs to speak to his father about it. Obviously it didn't go so well."

Zelos groaned, placing his head in one hand. "Gods, I love that idiot, but sometimes I wonder if he really has a brain in there."

"Song had to clean and re-stitch the wound, and it's likely that Lloyd will still be feeling some of the effects of the medication when we leave tomorrow."

"It's just local anesthesia, right? Song wouldn't put him under again just for stitches."

"Right," Genis replied, "but he'll still be in pain. He'll need something."

"I said he ought to have to bear it for a little while to teach him his lesson," Raine added, crossing her arms in front of her chest, "but the others said that was _inhumane_."

Zelos cringed. "Yeah, I think that's a bit much."

"For now," Genis began again, "we just need to figure out an alternative to rheiard transportation. Either that, or figure out some way to change up the design so that we can stabilize him while we're moving."

"Did Yuan and Kratos have any suggestions? They're the ones who'd know all the rheiards' functionalities."

Raine shook her head. "No, unfortunately they didn't. Kratos said that it would be better if we found an alternative mode of transportation, such as a boat. But then my worry would be transporting Lloyd safely to a port without being discovered. And I'd… prefer not to go by boat if we can help it."

Zelos closed his eyes, thinking it over. "How did Dirk get here so fast? He used some sort of secret underground Dwarven shortcut, right?"

"Yes, we asked him about that. He said that it was far too dangerous a trip for someone who's not an experienced spelunker- _especially_ if that person were injured."

Genis sat back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling. "What I'm wondering is whether we can reduce the risk of injury on a rheiard with some sort of brace. The wound is in Lloyd's back, right? So what if we got a back brace or something? They make those for people to wear following back surgery, don't they?"

"I considered that," Raine replied, "but with everything that happened at the hospital, I don't know if we could get one so easily. Song might be able to, but he's so busy, I don't want to-"

"I can get one."

Zelos' statement cut her off, and she and Genis both looked over at him. " _You_?" Raine asked. "Wouldn't someone get suspicious?"

"Yeah- if it were me. But I know a girl who works at the hospital who could get one _for_ me. And she kinda owes me a favor anyway."

"Oh!" Genis and Raine exchanged a look of realization at the same time. "Hazel!"

"She's coming over later tonight to see Seles. I hate to interrupt them, since there are some things they really need to talk about, but… I'm sure Hazel can get a brace over to Colette and Sheena by tomorrow morning. That way, the three of us can go retrieve the rheiards tonight as planned." Zelos stood up and pointed toward the stairs. "Let's go talk it over."

"Right!" Genis hopped up beside him and moved ahead to descend the staircase. Zelos followed after him, unable to stifle an amused laugh at his hurry. However, he had only made it down one step before he felt someone grab the back of his shirt.

" _Zelos._ "

It was Raine's voice.

"Yes?" Zelos turned around, offering a pleasant smile. The expression on Raine's face, however, wasn't pleasant _at all._

"Remember what I told you when you started dating Colette?"

"Yeah, yeah, I remember," Zelos replied with a wave of his hand. "If I ever broke her heart, you'd kill me. Point noted. Now can we-"

"An addition to that," Raine broke in before he could go anywhere. "If you manage to break both Colette _and_ Genis' hearts in one fell swoop, I will make you _wish_ you were dead."

Zelos smiled, but it was more a nervous reflex than a genuine smile. "Hah… _also_ noted. Thanks."

He stayed where he was standing, so Raine walked around him, descending the staircase on the opposite side. Once she got about halfway down, he found his voice again, and called out.

"Hang on just a sec, Raine!"

"What?"

Zelos stumbled down a few extra steps so that he was closer. "Listen… about Nika-"

"I'm not interested in hearing your excuses. My statement stands and that's all that matters at this point."

"No, it's not that! It's…" Zelos paused, shaking his head to collect his thoughts. "Look, Genis really likes her, and I think that's fantastic. I'm _not_ one to talk about age differences, especially when she's only- what, two or three years older? But I think that, because of all that he's been through with the world regeneration and the exsphere problems, and all, he underestimates her experiences. Genis likes to think he's this mature, grown-up adult, but he's still a kid in many ways. I can't say for sure, and I'd never pry too far, but I get the feeling that Nika has been through some… some _difficult_ situations in the past. And if Genis wants this relationship to go anywhere, he needs to realize that and respect her for her experience the way she respects him for his."

Raine's expression had softened as she listened to him speak, and once he finished, all she could say was "Zelos, that's… that's awfully observant of you."

"I'm just saying this to you because, if anyone has _any_ idea how hard Nika's had it, it'd be you. So, y'know, do with this what you will. I just wanted you to think about it."

"..." Raine stepped aside, allowed Zelos to pass her on the stairs, and then followed him down to the main floor. They walked side by side as they started down the hall toward the dining room. "...thank you, Zelos. I'll remember that."

"On another note," Zelos continued as they walked, "I'm curious. She wears those loose, flowy dresses, so I didn't notice before she hugged me, but Nika is pretty _impressive,_ if you catch my drift. Like, totally on Sheena's level, and _maybe_ even getting up into Professor Low's territory… Do you and Genis have some sort of shared thing about girls with big-"

"Zelos _,_ " Raine hissed, "quit while you're ahead."

"-I'm just asking, like, is it mother issues? Because I can see it being mother issues, and-"

" _Zelos_. _Quit while you're ahead._ "

That's what her voice said, but her expression told Zelos that he was about to get punched.

"Alright, already! Geez, I was just asking…"


	41. Chapter 41

Thank you for your patience with me during NaNoWriMo! It was a big success, as always, and I look forward to getting back on track with my fics. As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 138:**  
 _Nì amadan na tha air a thoirmeasg dheth_.  
Forbid a fool a thing, and that he will do.

 **41-**

Kratos had his soldiers set up a perimeter around the Great Tree long before dawn to make sure that there was no chance for them to be taken off-guard by any members of the Church of Mana who might show up early. Song and Yuan accompanied them, Song helping Felix and Margie make the trip with their injuries and Yuan with Adora in tow just as he'd said. With the military escort, there was no problem getting them out of Meltokio, but Kratos was sure that the city guards had taken notice and word had spread. He could only hope that the Church members that were still threatening violence would bring it out to the Great Tree instead of trying to stir up trouble within the city walls- especially while Lloyd and Anna were still there.

"Are these really your best men? It's taken an hour just to do a simple survey. What are they doing?"

Yuan wasn't making any effort to help, but he could certainly watch and criticize. Kratos let out a sigh as he tried to focus on the situation and not on Yuan's nit-picking.

"I ordered them to take extra care in logging the terrain _and_ the local biota, since any change in either could signal a problem with the Great Tree. Remember that this is a sensitive location and our goal is to protect it at all costs. If you don't think we're doing a good job, maybe you'd like to hand off the baby and do things yourself?"

Yuan frowned and looked away. "And do myself what I'm paying _you_ for? Nice try."

"Then keep your whining to yourself and let us do our jobs."

" _Whining_? How dare you? I have every right to be concerned over your performance when the safety of the Great Tree is on the line-"

"Guys, guys, take it easy." Song stepped in, waving his hands to quiet them. "You should know more than anything that this is a situation requiring care and respect. Look at Felix and Professor Low- if _they_ can get along, you two can."

Professor Low had traveled with them, not wanting to risk being caught alone by members of the anti-science group. Song had tried to stay between her and the siblings to keep them from arguing, but to his surprise, Felix started a civil conversation about the tree and actually seemed to enjoy her company- even if he wouldn't admit it.

"W-we're not _getting along_ ," he stammered, waving his hands. "I still don't agree with what she's doing."

"And I still don't agree with your perspective," Low broke in, addressing Felix with a pout, "but otherwise I'd say we're _getting along_ quite well."

"Otherwise." Yuan let out a forced laugh. "Isn't that conflict the whole reason we're here?"

There was an awkward pause as the group all remembered their situation. Kratos returned to giving his soldiers orders, while Yuan busied himself with making sure Adora was sleeping comfortably against his chest. She had been surprisingly well-behaved considering the number of unfamiliar people surrounding them, but she had always done well so long as Yuan kept her in his arms, pressed against his side. It was his simple presence that calmed her more than anything else, and Yuan had no regrets about his decision to bring her along.

Kratos was busy speaking with the four members of the surveying section, giving them extra instructions on monitoring the tree's "behavior." Before he could get too far, however, another of his soldiers broke in.

"Sir!" Bryan interrupted. "There's a group approaching from the southeast. It appears to be five adults, not heavily armed, but not empty-handed either."

Kratos nodded and looked back at the rest of his soldiers. "Stay on your toes. Remember that our mission today is conflict resolution and damage control. Do _not_ let anyone get within three meters of the Great Tree, understand?"

" _Yes, sir!_ "

Within a few minutes, the group had come into view well enough for them to recognize the familiar face at the head of it. There were about four people following Veronica, two of them the servants that Bianca had met at the Low mansion a few days prior. Professor Low glared at both of them in turn as they approached the group, stepping forward in a foul-natured greeting, but the servants weren't paying any attention to her. The only one focused on her was Veronica.

"Todd! Oh, it's been too long since we've seen each other. I'm glad you weren't too busy to come meet us."

Song and Yuan both looked over at Professor Low. "You know Ms. St Martin?" Song asked.

"…yes…" Low murmured through clenched teeth, unwilling to break eye contact with Veronica.

"Know each other is an understatement. I was her nanny from the time she was in diapers up until she went away to the Imperial Research Academy." Veronica walked up to Low and reached up to rest her arms on her shoulders. "I was more of a mother to you than your own mother ever was, and yet you never wrote..."

"You are not my mother! My own mother would never threaten the safety of the world like this!"  
"Of course not. She's too busy idly enjoying her retirement- unlike those of us who actually have to work for a living."

Professor Low grabbed Veronica's hands and pulled them off her shoulders. "Don't you dare try to change the subject. We all know you and your cronies are here to threaten the safety of the Great Tree."

Veronica sighed and took a step away. "If that's how you want to put it. But I see it more as a continuation of what I've always been doing."

"Which is?"

"Well, I've been cleaning up your messes since before you could walk. Why stop now?"

Professor Low clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "Why you-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Song jumped in between them, holding out his hands. "I understand that there's some history here, but you two can't let that get in the way of negotiations here. Please, let's focus on the situation. Ms. St Martin, you brought something you want to show us?"

Veronica sighed and took a step back. "Yes, that's right. We invited Professor Low here today to show off a little something we built- and thankfully, we have a wonderful audience to witness the exchange."

"We're here solely for damage control," Kratos spoke up. "This is between you and the professor. Just keep it civil."

Veronica nodded and looked back at Low. "We really enjoyed reading your latest publication, Todd. It was so inspiring, we just had to build our own version of the prototype reactor. Simon, would you like to present your work?"

The man had been standing back, watching the conversation. However, as soon as she called his name, he perked up and ran up the hillside, holding out the box that he'd been keeping close to his chest. "Yes, ma'am!"

He stopped next to Veronica and opened the lid of the box so that she could reach in and take out the device. From where Professor Low was standing, it looked the same as it had the previous day when Raine had examined it, so she didn't feel the need to stare any more than necessary. The whole concept made her sick anyway.

"If that thing is supposed to be our prototype reactor, it's a sorry excuse for it. The materials are all wrong, the transistor doesn't match the required voltage, and you would never be able to get a current through it with those dry joints."

"Hey!" Simon yelled. "We worked hard on this, making sure it fit all your specifications-"  
Before he could get very far, Veronica held out a hand to cut him off. He stopped abruptly, taking a step back in anticipation of a scolding, but it was Professor Low that Veronica was speaking to.

"A fascinating observation, Todd. But how is it that you can comment on the state of our transistor and joints when those aren't visible on the outside?"

Her words were spoken coldly, yet with a pointed edge, and Professor Low felt her muscles tense up. What should she say at this point? "…I don't even have to look. I just know."

"You just know, do you? Meaning what?" A scowl passed across Veronica's face. "I know you, Todd. You never say anything you don't wholeheartedly know to be true. For you to claim our transistor is wrong- not just wrong, but the wrong voltage- and comment on the condition of the joints, you've clearly examined this piece beforehand."

"I-I…"

"What are you saying?!" Gisela came up from behind Simon, speaking to Veronica but glaring at Professor Low. "We never told her in the invitation that we'd created a prototype. She wouldn't have known it existed, much less been able to get her hands on it."

Veronica shook her head. "No, she wouldn't have. Not unless…"

Simon's grip on the machine tightened. "Unless…?"

At that point, Veronica turned around to look up at the group watching from closer to the tree. She raised a hand, pointing over to Felix, Margie, and Yuan. "Unless we had a few rats spreading our secrets around like the plague."

Gisela's head whipped around to look at them. "The Pattons? They'd never-"

"We were threatened into it! They blackmailed us!" Felix was the first of that group to open his mouth, and as soon as he did, he was already yelling. "Yuan and his militia buddy told us that we had no choice!"

"F-Felix…" Margie reached out with her good hand, grabbing her brother's arm. "That wasn't exactly-"

"Oh, don't play pretend for their sake, Gie! You heard what they said to us, both of them!"

"But we were doing it for Doctor Lu and the poor Irving boy as well… and that was genuine…"

"The Irving boy?" Veronica asked, taking a step toward the group. "Doctor Lu, I believe we had an arrangement. Did you encounter some… trouble?"

Song took a step forward, squaring his shoulders. "I could never kill a patient. No matter who asked me or what the circumstances were, it's against my code of ethics- and this definitely didn't fit the criteria for a doctor-assisted suicide-"

He cut off as he saw Kratos step forward, positioning himself between the two groups. "Veronica St Martin," Kratos began, his loud voice drowning out the chatter around them, "did you order Doctor Song Lu to kill Lloyd Irving?"

She smiled and gave a bow. "With all due respect, captain, you said that you were simply here for damage control. As an unaffiliated militia, your troops have neither the authority nor ability to make arrests under Meltokio law. So if you have no personal score to settle, I'd step back-"

"Let me ask again," Kratos interrupted. "Veronica St Martin, did you order Doctor Song Lu to kill _my son_ , Lloyd Irving?"

The question brought Veronica to a standing position immediately. She narrowed her eyes, first at Kratos and then at Yuan and Song.

"For a neutral party just here for damage control, you seem to have found someone who's awfully… emotionally-involved." She let out a sigh and looked back at Kratos. "Alright, Mister 'Keep-It-Civil.' Yes, I did order Doctor Lu to kill Lloyd. And before you ask, I'm well aware of his reputation regarding the reunion of the worlds. But my resolve to protect the Great Tree takes priority over all else."

"You are a despicable woman-" Professor Low began, rolling up her sleeves as she stepped toward Veronica, revealing her exsphere that was attached to a bangle-like key crest on her right arm. "-and you have no right to-"

"Stop." Kratos stepped in, unsheathing his sword to hold in front of Low. "We're not here to incite violence."

"You're protecting the bitch who tried to murder your son? Don't you want revenge?!"

Kratos glared back at her in response. "I'm sorry, but I'm not particularly moved by your sudden compassion for Raine' _pet idiot_."

Low's eyes widened, her face turning a shade paler. "How did you… I-I… I didn't… I didn't mean…" She struggled to find the words, pinned to the spot by the ire in Kratos' eyes. In the meantime, Veronica began to laugh.

"Oh, you really haven't changed, Todd dear! You just can't seem to keep your foot out of your mouth." She paused a moment to quell her laughter and began again. "So tell me, what did you do to our little prototype when you discovered it? I doubt you snooped through your servants' belongings just to take a look at the wiring and put it back where you found it."

"Actually, I didn't do a thing to it," Low replied, her breathing slow and forced. "I didn't need to. It was already inert due to your faulty handiwork."

"So you did intend to tamper with it!" Simon hissed, sprinting towards her with his hand gripping his knife, stopping only as he was blocked by Kratos. "Why I ought to-"

"Civility, please," Kratos interrupted.

Veronica smiled. "Says the man with the unsheathed sword."

"I can see that you're armed. Drop your weapons, all of you." He looked back at Low. "That includes you and your exsphere. Using magic around the Great Tree could be dangerous."

"But-!"

"Alright, we'll drop our weapons," Veronica broke in, pulling her own dagger from a pocket in her skirt and holding it out for everyone to see. "But only after you drop yours, captain."

There was a pause, but Kratos turned his head toward the rest of his soldiers and nodded to them before bending down to place his sword on the ground by his feet. As he straightened up, he saw Veronica bend down to do the same with her dagger. But his instincts flashed a red alert at the sight of movement from behind her. He adopted a defensive stance, hands above his head to block an overhanded strike from Simon's knife.

Simon grunted as his knife slammed against Kratos' armor, sliding off as the blade scraped against the metal. Kratos grabbed for his arm to twist him into a more vulnerable position, but Simon managed to duck out of the way and under Kratos' elbow, plunging his knife in search of a break in the armor. The lapse in concentration allowed Kratos to kick one of Simon's legs out from under him, sending him toppling over so that one of the soldiers who had retrieved their sword could grab him in a headlock. Simon pulled and struggled against the soldier's grip, but he wasn't strong enough to break free on his own.

He wasn't on his own, however.

" _Aqua Laser!_ "

The spell was aimed at Simon, but the soldier holding him ended up as collateral damage. She was blown backwards as well, the water having loosened her grip enough for Simon to stumble free, his mind still reeling from the impact. He fumbled forward in an attempt to find his attacker, but ended up running into another pair of soldiers who'd run in to aid their comrade.

Kratos, meanwhile, had heard Professor Low beginning the incantation. Once he'd seen Simon safely into the soldier's grip, he lunged in Low's direction to cut off her spell. Unfortunately, she had already reached the conclusion by the time he did so, and he had to duck out of the way of the spell's effects. While on the ground, he glanced in the direction of the sword he'd dropped, only to find that one of Veronica's other companions had grabbed it up and was pursuing some of the other soldiers with a technique- or, lack thereof- that suggested he was completely unfamiliar with that sort of weapon.

"C-Captain!" Bryan stammered, rushing to Kratos' side and helping him up. "What should we do?"

Kratos answered in an order that he called to the whole platoon. "Defensive maneuvers only! Incapacitate without wounding if at all possible!" As he yelled, he noticed that Bryan was offering his own sword. Immediately, Kratos held up a hand to refuse. "Keep it and follow your orders. I'll be fine."

"Against armed opponents-?"

"Just go!"

In the meantime, as soon as Low finished her spell, she felt herself grabbed from behind. Veronica had one arm around her shoulders, the other holding her dagger against Low's neck.  
"You wouldn't kill me," Professor Low hissed, instinctively turning her head so that she could look back at Veronica. As she did so, the dagger grazed her chin and cut into the skin just enough to produce a trickle of blood that ran down her neck. She tensed up, but didn't move. Veronica hadn't responded to her challenge, and when she finally spoke, it seemed she didn't plan to.

"It's such a shame, Todd dear, that an incredible intelligence could be wasted on such a naive girl. It's as if the world revolves around you, and if it doesn't affect you personally, it doesn't matter. You just can't see past your own ego, can you?"

"That's not true," Low replied. "I'm doing what I think is best for the world and the people in it."

"You're doing what the people want so that you'll be hailed as a hero. It doesn't matter to you whether it's truly good for them or not."

"It does matter to me! It's always mattered-" As Low became more and more worked-up, she started moving her head again, pressing her chin further into the blade of the dagger. The pain hit her suddenly, and she pulled her head back with an audible wince. "…you of all people should know it's always mattered…"

"See, this is a problem you've always had. You want so desperately for others to approve of you. Your parents, your peers, your students- they weren't people to you, they were boxes for you to check off once you'd gained their admiration. The only thing you've ever loved was your ego-"

"That's NOT TRUE!"

Professor Low kicked backwards into Veronica's legs, sending her toppling over. Her grip on the dagger wavered as her arms flailed for a grasp, and the blade dug deep into Low's arm just below the shoulder blade.

Low screamed, turning on her heels to throw her attacker away. Veronica tumbled to the ground, fumbling for the blade that she'd dropped.

"I… I love science…" Professor Low began again, one hand clutched tightly over her wounded arm where a dark stain was already spreading along the sleeve. "…I love my parents… I love Raine… and yes, I haven't ever done a good job of showing it. I'm vain and egotistical and I never think of anyone but myself…" She closed her eyes, wincing as she pressed on. "…I need to change that… because, no matter how poorly I showed it… my feelings are real… and I have to do them justice…"

By this point, Veronica had retrieved her dagger and was approaching Low again. She wasn't making any move to attack, instead listening intently to Low's words. As Professor Low's voice trailed off, she was overcome by the pain and crumpled to her knees. Veronica took a step toward her, but was stopped by a voice approaching from her back.

"Don't move, either of you."

Bryan held his sword pointed in their direction, trying desperately not to let his arm tremble or his voice waver as he spoke out above the commotion. One of his platoon members stood by his side, her sword sheathed, but her hand on the hilt and ready to draw if necessary. Seeing Low and Veronica both looking back at him, he took another step forward.

"Professor, can you stand?"

"I-I…" Low tried to pull herself to her feet, but she only made it part of the way up before she dizzily stumbled back to the ground. Veronica sighed.

"Really, Todd, you've always been so overdramatic. It's just a little cut. Here, let me see-"

"Don't move!" Bryan broke in again as Veronica started in Low's direction. "Do not approach her."

"I'm a nurse, darling. I just want to help."

"Anita has first aid training." Bryan nodded back in his partner's direction. "Go check on the professor."

"Yes sir!" She removed her hand from the hilt of her sword, stepping around Bryan to get to Professor Low. She didn't make it that far, however, before a swift movement from Veronica caught her off-guard. There wasn't even time to draw her sword. Low screamed at the same time Anita did, and Bryan's instincts took over, sending him charging forward into the fray.

"ANITA!"

As the chaos had unfolded, Song could only watch in horror. He knew that he had to do something, but identifying that something was more difficult than he'd realized. Yuan had retreated back to the tree, standing with his back against the trunk so that he could see anyone approaching. The combatants were all more focused on one another than on the tree itself, so they were all keeping their distance- for now. But the commotion had woken Adora, and even being sheltered from the noise beneath her father's cloak didn't seem to be helping her calm down. The sounds of the conflict and the crying infant, the flurry of movement in his peripheral vision, the scent of blood mingling with the morning dew… it was too much for Song to take. He stumbled backwards, unable to make sense of it all.

There were sixteen soldiers including Kratos. Five of them were currently occupied in restraining the three subordinates of Veronica that had reacted violently when Simon attacked. Kratos and another three soldiers had Simon pinned down, and yet another pair was dealing with Veronica and Professor Low. Two soldiers were speaking with Yuan about defending the tree should the conflict move any closer, so that left four…

"Let go of me! You have no right-"

It was Felix's voice. Song turned to see the man screaming and kicking at a trio of soldiers who were trying to restrain his legs while another held his torso. He kicked with his good leg, but he was having trouble keeping his injured leg out of the way, and the soldiers looked to be more interested in keeping him from hurting _himself_ rather than others.

A female soldier stood by his sister, her hands on Margie's shoulders. It was a simple gesture, so much so that Margie could have escaped easily had she wanted to. But she was too busy trying to calm her brother.

"Felix, stop this! _Please_ calm down! You're going to hurt yourself-" She started in his direction, but the soldier's grip on her shoulder tightened in response to her movement and she stayed where she was. "The militia is here to help! It's Veronica's group you have to worry about!"

"Anyone… who gets in my way…" Felix stammered, still struggling for freedom, "...is… my enemy…"

He stopped momentarily, his eyes closing and his features growing calm. The soldiers holding him didn't loosen their grips- not, at least, until they heard what he was saying under his breath.

" _Incandescent vortex, annihilate thy enemy; SPIRAL FLARE!_ "

There were screams as the soldiers tried to duck away from the oncoming flames, throwing themselves to the ground in order to extinguish the embers that had taken hold on their uniforms. The soldier that had been supporting Margie let go and dove to tackle Felix to the ground. Across the field, several soldiers and Church members had been caught in the path of the spell as well, and a few were panicking. Kratos had Simon pinned down with his foot on the man's chest, so the three soldiers at his side made a dash for their comrades who were caught in the commotion. As Kratos turned to give them orders, Simon reached up and grabbed Kratos by the ankle, trying to toss him aside. It only managed to throw off Kratos' balance, but it was enough for Simon to break free and reach for a sword.

Before Kratos could go after Simon, another spell was fired from Felix's direction, this time a water spell that affected a larger range. Kratos yelled to the soldiers as loudly as possible, though he wasn't sure how many could hear him over the torrent and the screams.

" _Do everything you can to prevent magic use! Don't let his attacks approach the Tree!"_

When Kratos turned his attention back, Simon had already managed to put a considerable distance between them. He cursed under his breath, preparing to follow, but the sound of Professor Low's voice behind him stopped him before he could.

"Hands off of her! _ICE TORNADO!_ "

Kratos made eye contact with the small group of soldiers who had been talking to Yuan and motioned for them to follow. They nodded and did so, leaving Yuan and Song the only ones remaining close to the Tree. Yuan pressed his back closer to the trunk and hid Adora beneath his cloak to keep her close. Song felt his stomach churn as he realized that, were it not for Adora, Yuan would probably already be involved in the fight. But standing here like this, away from everyone else…

They were vulnerable.

Satisfied that his comrades were successfully distracting the soldiers, Simon made a beeline for where Song was standing, staring at the tree. He had a grudge to settle, and with Song so preoccupied, this would be his best opportunity.

"Doctor Lu!"

Song spun around on his heels, his face going pale as he caught sight of the bloodlust in Simon's eyes. "What are you-?"

"You goddamned traitor!" Simon screamed as he pulled his sword back in preparation for a horizontal thrust, not caring to listen to what Song had to say. "You may not be willing to kill someone for the greater good, but I sure as hell am! You should've been the one I tried to kill during the picnic- but killing you now will work just as well!"

And with that, he struck.

Yuan saw everything happening as though in slow motion. " _SONG!_ " he yelled, shifting Adora to one arm so that he could stretch out the other. He shoved Song aside, kicking his feet out from under him so that the sword strike would miss him entirely. As he did so, Yuan channeled an angelic spell that had become second nature to him over the course of millennia, one that he knew would keep Song and Adora safe. He could see the sword being thrust toward him, but his mind was filled only with the incantation, waiting for the familiar sensation of angelic power coursing through his body.

" _Holy light, reflect the evil which rises against thy humble servants. SANCTUARY!"_

But that sensation never came.

Instead of the residual tingling of mana against his fingertips and the familiar warmth of the wings at his back, Yuan found his vision suddenly clouded. The only sound he heard was a high-pitched shriek from Adora, one that continued into a screaming sob. It was loud, but only for a moment before Yuan's hearing grew blurry as well, punctuated by the sound of his own labored breathing. There was the unmistakable gurgling of fluid pooling in his lungs, and while he tried to figure out what had happened, his consciousness was so cloudy that the next thing he recognized was the feeling of the dirt and grass against the side of his face. Adora continued to squeal and cry in surprise from her position shielded in his arms, but Yuan's muddled thoughts couldn't grasp it right now. He was only just now coming to the realization of what had happened, as his rapid heartbeat echoed against his chest where his Cruxis Crystal was no longer set.

 _Kratos… you damned liar…_


	42. Chapter 42

As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 149**  
 _An duine a tha a 'cladhach uaigh dho daoine eile faodaidh e fhèin tuiteam ann._  
He who digs a grave for others may fall into it himself.

 **42-**

Lloyd opened his eyes only slightly, his head fuzzy and his mind unsure of its surroundings. The only thing he could quite focus on was the figure of someone sitting on the end of his bed watching him. He couldn't quite make out the features, but just the sound of his friend's soft, hesitant breathing was recognizable enough.

"Nnnn… Genis? Are we leaving now?"

He felt Genis lean over him, place a hand on his forehead in concern, and then sit back with a relieved laugh.

"Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you weren't feverish," Genis explained, "just too lazy to open your eyes and look around."

"I'm not-!" Lloyd tried to sit up, but the tight ache in his back stopped him. He lowered himself back to the bed in pain, and Genis moved around to help.

"Here, I'll move the pillows so you can sit up better. Can you lean forward just a li- yeah, just like that. There you go."

Once Lloyd was propped up against the pillows, he opened his eyes to see exactly where he was. It was totally different from the dark room that he'd shared with Song, the tiny window giving just enough view to see the alleyway and the barber shop next door. Instead, there were multiple windows, the bold afternoon sunlight coursing through and countering the chill of the fresh breeze. The construction was wood, not brick, and instead of the stale, smoky smell he'd gotten used to over the past few days, this place smelled natural and green. It smelled like home.

"My room!" Lloyd gasped, a smile spreading across his face. "When did we get here?"

"Earlier today. You've been pretty out-of-it," Genis replied, taking a step back and sitting down at the foot of the bed again. "Song left some medicine he said would help you with the rheiard trip, and it knocked you out pretty good."

"I see…" Lloyd murmured and then glanced around. "Where is everyone else?"

"They're downstairs. Dirk and Miss Anna were making some chicken soup for you, and we decided that it was best to only have one person with you when you woke up so we didn't overwhelm you."

"And how did you manage to win that prestigious position?"

Genis grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "I drew the short straw."

"Hey, now!"

Lloyd leaned across the bed, reaching for Genis, but he couldn't quite make it, and Genis watched him with a laugh. Lloyd pouted and leaned back against the pillows, heaving a long, pained sigh.

"In any case… I'm really glad to be back here. Not that I didn't appreciate Song and Yuan's hospitality, but I just felt kinda _off_ when I was there. I guess I just don't do well in big cities."

" _Me neither. I'm glad tae be oot ay Meltokio. Nae offense tae anyain fa li'es thaur, but 'at many fowk in ain place makes me uncomfortable."_

Lloyd's head turned abruptly, and his smile returned. "Dad!"

Dirk appeared at the top of the stairs, followed by Raine, and then by Colette, Sheena, and Anna. Zelos was the last to the top of the stairs, and he stayed by the stair rail while the others crowded around. "Sorry to interrupt," Raine added. "We just heard you and Genis talking, so we thought we'd come see how you're doing."

"Lloyd! Are you okay? How are you feeling? Are you tired? Does it still hurt?"

Colette seemed to have been holding back a barrage of questions, and when she finally allowed herself to speak, she couldn't stop. Anna and Raine laughed, and Colette blushed. "S-sorry. I was just so worried…"

"You're fine, Colette. I'm still sore, but I'm okay." Lloyd gave her a reassuring wave and patted the side of the bed next to Sheena, who'd sat down next to him while listening to Colette's questions. "Having everybody here, it kinda feels like a party."

Zelos laughed. "We _should_ have a party- to celebrate that you made it home safe and sound!"

"Unfortunately, we can't celebrate just yet," Raine broke in. "We don't know what the situation is at the Great Tree. And even if that ends as peacefully as we hope, there's no way it will end the animosity between scientists and the Church of Mana. We still have a long road ahead of us in terms of coming to an understanding."

The room went silent, each person considering what she'd said. They wanted to celebrate this personal victory, but they couldn't ignore the truth behind Raine's statement.

Dirk was the first to finally speak up. " _Tha deagh thoiseach tòiseachaidh a tha leth an obair_ ," he spoke, and looked over in Lloyd's direction.

"Dwarven Vow 60," Lloyd interpreted, his smile returning. "A good start is half the work."

"In workin' wi' fowk like Professor Low and the Pattons, ye've awreddy laid th' foundations fer these tois groups tae open up tae ain another. Aye, there main be struggles tae come, but it's important tae acknowledge how much ye've accomplished an aw."

"Still… I don't feel right celebrating while Kratos and the others are still fighting," Anna added. "Let's wait until he and the others return- I'm sure we'll have plenty to celebrate then."

There was a murmur of assent among the group, and Colette clapped her hands together. "I know they'll be here soon with some good news!" she chimed. "Until then, we'll just have to be patient."

Sheena looked around the room and laughed. "Sorry to break it to you, Colette, but I don't think most of us here are particularly good at that."

There was some protest at that comment, but the laughter that followed was shared by everyone. It was a mix of amusement at the conversation and relief at the way the situation had turned out. They were safe and they were together.

What more could they ask for?

* * *

Song watched the whole thing, frozen in place on the ground where he'd fallen when Yuan had tripped him. He saw Yuan reciting a spell of some kind, but he didn't recognize it, and it didn't occur to him that it was an angelic spell until he noticed that there didn't seem to be any magical response to the incantation. If he'd realized Yuan's mistake sooner, he could have said something, could have done something, could have made a difference _somehow_. But by the time he realized what was happening, it was already too late. Simon's horizontal strike sent the sword directly into Yuan's chest.

Simon wavered for a moment as Adora's piercing scream filled the air, his eyes widening in horror as he realized he'd only barely missed injuring the baby. He grabbed for the hilt of the sword again, and while Song wanted to yell for him not to, it was too late- Simon pulled the blade out and staggered backwards.

Yuan toppled over onto his right side, his left arm still shielding Adora and protecting her from the impact of the fall. Song scrambled to Yuan's side to assess the damage, and Yuan seemed to come out of his haze just enough to lean his left side forward.

"...S-Song… take care… of Adora…"

"No, no, no, no. Don't say that, buddy, don't say that. You're gonna be okay. Everything's gonna be okay-"

"I… meant… right _now_ … you asshole…"

Well, the injury certainly hadn't put a damper on Yuan's signature sense of humor- even if it did seem to subdue his unwillingness to curse in front of Adora. Still, Song's assessment of the wound worried him more than he wanted to admit. The sword had punctured his abdomen just below the sternum, meaning severe liver trauma and likely- if Yuan's labored breathing was any indication- hemorrhaging in the lungs as well. If Song didn't go get help immediately, Yuan might not recover. Even if he _did_ get help immediately, Yuan still might not…

No. Now wasn't the time to think like that. As a doctor, he knew never to think like that when he was focusing on a patient. What he had to do now was treat his patient with the assumption that the patient would live. His patient _had_ to live.

Song took Adora in one hand and used the other to help prop Yuan up against the trunk of the tree. Once Yuan was steady, Song placed Adora back in his lap and removed his own jacket to tie around Yuan's torso.

"Adora should stay with you for right now. I'm going to get some supplies so I can patch you up. In the meantime, keep the jacket pressed as tightly to the wound as possible to help slow the bleeding."

"Song..." Yuan caught his hand as he started to run, and Song stopped more from the shock of the gesture than any strength on Yuan's part. It sounded like Yuan could barely get the air out of his lungs, and Song's first instinct was to tell him to stop and rest. But the conviction in Yuan's words gave him pause.

"Seriously, though…" Yuan breathed. "...I want youto raise Adora… not Colette, not Kratos… _you_ …"

Song felt a deep, sinking numbness in his stomach. Yuan had gone from his usual dry humor to such cold seriousness so quickly, it was obvious that the injury was affecting him.

"I'm going to get help," Song repeated, forcing his statement through the lump in his throat.

It was all he could promise.

Finding help was easier said than done, however. With the commotion surrounding them, everyone was so caught up in their own fights that it seemed as if no one had noticed what had happened between Simon and Yuan. Song didn't know who had the medical supplies, so he made a beeline for Kratos.

" _HELP! KRATOS! SOMEBODY!_ "

* * *

After a struggle, the soldiers finally managed to restrain both Felix and Professor Low. One of the soldiers had confiscated Low's exsphere, while another had placed a pre-prepared seal on Felix's magic. Margie stayed by her brother's side, and Veronica called her group over to keep them in order. Simon, still visibly shaken from his experience, had slipped back into the crowd of Veronica's followers, making a futile effort to "hide" behind Gisela. Kratos had been speaking with Veronica, but as soon as he noticed Simon, he made a beeline for the man and grabbed his arm.

"Jackson, help me restrain him while Laurel confiscates his sword-"

"Th-that's not necessary…" Simon breathed, his voice shaky. "Take it, please. I can't… I shouldn't…"

Kratos let go of Simon's arm, taking a step back and letting Veronica step in. She placed her hand on Simon's cheek, examining his subdued features in surprise. "Simon, darling, you're so pale. What happened?"

"I… was careless… I almost hurt… that poor innocent baby…"

Kratos snapped to attention. " _Adora_? What did you do?" He spun around to look back toward the tree at where Yuan and Song had been, but he didn't quite make it before he was stopped by a familiar voice screaming in a tone that was altogether unfamiliar.

" _HELP! KRATOS! SOMEBODY!_ "

By the time Kratos registered what was going on, Song was already by his side, tugging on his arm. He didn't even have time to ask what had happened before he found himself caught up in a barrage of questions from Song instead.

"Where are the medical supplies you brought? I need to work on Yuan immediately!"

Kratos' gaze flashed momentarily up toward the tree, where he could see Yuan's limp form slumped over against the trunk. He could faintly hear Adora crying, but Yuan didn't seem to be making any movements to soothe her- or any movements at all, for that matter. He was still and lifeless, having thrown himself in harm's way for the sake of the people he loved and the Great Tree.

It sent a shiver of dread through Kratos' body. He'd seen that before.

 _Martel…_

"Bryan took Anita and Professor Low to more solid ground so that he could treat their injuries. They're up the hill to the east." Kratos pointed Song in the direction of the small group that could be seen along the hillside. "It's simple first aid, so they declined Veronica's help, but-" Kratos stopped and looked back at her. "-if Yuan is hurt that badly, will you accompany Song to help?"

"I'll do what I can." Veronica stepped forward and glared over in Simon's direction as she spoke again. "We didn't come here to kill, after all."

"I… I…" Simon started to stammer out an excuse, and Song opened his mouth to cut him off, with a sharp " _there's no time for_ -" but neither one got to finish what they were saying. The ground beneath them began to move, slowly at first but building in intensity before any member of the group could even get out the word "earthquake."

At the same time, there was a sudden burst of light and a deep rumbling like the vague notion of thunder in the far-off distance. The light illuminated the Great Tree, seeming to originate from deep in the roots and move upward into the branches until every leaf was glowing. Song's breath caught in his throat and when he finally found it again, all he could do was breath the name " _Yuan_ " in desperation. He lunged forward, his body angled to barrel back in Yuan's direction, but Kratos grabbed his arm and held him back.

Something wasn't right.

From the base of the tree where the roots met the soil, the light began to move outward from the trunk along the ground, making a bright wall that obscured everything within its radius. As it did so, it shot up into the sky, creating a tower of light that grew wider and wider with each passing moment. Song struggled against Kratos' grip- he couldn't see Yuan and Adora anymore, but he remembered where they had been sitting and could find them blindly if necessary. But Kratos wouldn't let him go, instead pulling him backwards away from the tree. The radius of the pillar was growing faster now, and its edges were approaching them more rapidly than they'd anticipated. Kratos called out to Bryan's group, waving his arm.

"Retreat to a safer position! We don't know what that is or how dangerous it might be!"

Professor Low, whose injuries had only been on her shoulder and arm, helped support Anita, who had injured her leg and ankle. The two women retreated first and Bryan pulled up the rear, making sure to keep an eye on the approaching light. Unfortunately, that meant he wasn't looking where he was going. His foot hit a patch of slick, loose mud, and he tumbled over onto the ground. His hands flew out to break his fall, and it took him a moment to regroup. He propped himself up on his arms and drew his right leg in to begin standing, but his left leg was still extended and the expanding light began to cover his foot as it passed over the ground.

His scream sent a panic through both civilians and soldiers.

Bryan crumpled to the ground, unable to do anything but cry out in pain. Low and Anita doubled back, Professor Low bending down to grab Bryan's arm and toss it over her shoulder. One she was sure that she could securely support his weight, she sprinted forward with such confident speed that you'd never have thought she'd been carrying the weight of two soldiers.

Low managed to catch up with the main group, and they retreated further until the pillar of light finally stopped expanding, its halt punctuated by another earthquake that sent several people toppling over, and those still standing holding onto one another in support.

It was at this point that Low finally noticed the trail of blood that stained the grass over the path they'd run. She looked back and let out a scream as she noticed the state of Bryan's left leg- cut off about halfway up the calf and pouring blood. Professor Low dropped him and immediately tore off her scarf to wrap around the wound.

"Somebody help me out here! There's too much blood!"

Veronica was by her side in an instant. She had retrieved her dagger, but instead of using it at a weapon, she kept it in its sheath and looped it through the scarf. Nudging Low aside, she began to twist, and within moments, had created a makeshift tourniquet. The bloodflow began to slow, and Veronica motioned for Professor Low to hold onto the tourniquet while she took the medical supply kit from Anita and searched for proper bandages.

"Normally, I'd say to be careful with how much pressure you apply to prevent complications with his foot later, but… unfortunately, it looks like he doesn't have anything left for us to worry about," Veronica commented, wrapping bandages around what was left of Bryan's leg. "I've never seen such a clean cut through a tibia before. It's like everything below that point just… disappeared…" Low said nothing, keeping her grip on the tourniquet firm and staring in silent horror at the scene.

Kratos entrusted Song to another of his soldiers and walked over to where Bryan lay unconscious, staring in restrained horror. His whole body felt tense, but he steeled his nerves and addressed the soldiers.

" _Platoon A, sound off!_ "

Fourteen voices responded with their own names one after another. They were cold and professional, with none of the emotion of the situation showing through in their speech. But anyone could look at their faces and see the turmoil within. Once they had finished, Gisela did a headcount of everyone who had come with Veronica. She turned back to Kratos with a nod.

"All ours are accounted for too, Captain. That just leaves Doctor Lu's group."

Kratos didn't need to do a head count for them. Margie and Felix were standing back quietly, Professor Low was still helping Veronica, and Song was standing next to the soldier who had his arm in a tight grip.

Only Yuan and Adora were missing.

Song wasn't struggling physically, but he was pestering the soldier who was holding his arm, begging her to let him go. He was pointing back in the direction of the light, pleading, almost _sobbing_.

"Please, they're still in there! We have to get them out! We have to save them! Adora's just a baby; we can't leave her-"

"I'm sorry, I can't allow you to go anywhere until the captain deems it safe."

"But… but… but…"

Kratos wanted to stay by Bryan's side, but it seemed like Veronica had things under control. He turned around to address Song again, taking his arm and nodding for the soldier to step back.

"I'm worried too. But after what happened to Bryan, we can't allow anyone to interact with… _whatever that is_ until we know more about its effects-"

As he said this, there was another, smaller earthquake accompanied by a sound akin to breaking glass. The few members of the group still shielding their eyes against the light lowered their hands to examine the scene beyond where the wall of light had been. It was possible to see the Tree now, but the sight wasn't at all reassuring.

The Great Tree was still in full leaf, its branches still reaching high into the air, but the trunk was misshapen and gnarled with bulges and knots sticking out of the bark in various places. The ground around the tree, once covered with grass and low foliage, was now barren. The soil, in a perfect circle from the tree's base all the way out to where the pillar of light had extended, was stripped of all plants and organic material. Gusts of wind blew loose soil along the ground and into the air, creating ripple-like effects along the barren ground.

For a moment, no one moved.

Simon finally took a few steps forward, inching closer to the boundary where the grass stopped. Kratos ran after him, putting a hand up to keep others from following, but Song trailed him anyway. They stopped as they saw Simon reach out toward where the invisible boundary lay, moving the tips of his fingers across the "line" that divided grass from bare soil. As soon as his fingers crossed that line, he let out a yelp of pain and staggered backwards, clutching his hand to his chest. Song was by his side in an instant, reaching out for his hand.

"What happened?" Song forced himself to ask, his stomach churning as he saw the effects on Simon's hand. The man gave Song an angry glare, but allowed him to examine the fingers anyway. The tips of the fingers- about halfway down the nail- had turned a pale, almost greyish color. "...looks like necrosis," Song murmured, more to himself than to either Simon or Kratos. "The skin cells that were exposed to whatever's within that boundary have been killed. Such a small area of exposure means these cells should regenerate fine, but…"

Kratos had heard enough. He called back to the group, his voice once again taking on its strict military tone.

" _No one_ is to approach the vegetation boundary. Exposure could be deadly, and we aren't yet sure of the cause."

There was some commotion amongst the group as they processed what had just happened. Simon jerked his hand away from Song and scurried back over to the safety of his companions. Frowning, Song turned back to look at the tree, scanning desperately for something that just wasn't there.

"B-but, what happened to Yuan and Adora? I don't understand; they were right there-" Song pointed, but Kratos put a hand on his arm and shook his head.

"You saw what that light did to Bryan's leg, didn't you?" he asked.

"Yeah, but-" Song started to protest again, realizing what Kratos was getting at. He didn't understand it, didn't _want_ to understand it. But it had happened.

"Whatever that energy was, it consumed them. They're gone."

* * *

 _LEZARENO COMPANY_  
 _OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM_  
 _FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT_

 _To all Lezareno employees, shareholders, and customers,_

 _Numerous rumors and misconceptions have been circulating amongst the populations of both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla since the incident at the Great Tree one week ago. News outlets have provided inadequate coverage up to this point, disrupting the flow of information and leading those with morbid imaginations to fill in the blanks with tales of their own fantastical design. This not only undermines confidence in Tethe'alla's public information network, but also sows seeds of dissent that may lead to further conflict. Because of this, I- on behalf of the Lezareno Company- seek to provide accurate information, received myself from primary sources._

 _While the tragic loss of life should not be understated, the public painting of the event as a "massacre" is misguided. Of the twenty-seven involved in the conflict at the Great Tree, eleven sustained minor injuries, three sustained major injuries requiring hospitalization and are currently in stable condition, and two were pronounced dead on-site. The identities of those killed, a father and daughter pair, have not been publicly released for the sake of their family. While their deaths were not intentional, a Meltokio man has pleaded guilty to their murder as well as the assassination attempt that took place during the Unification Day picnic and the attack on a Meltokio police officer at a protest two weeks ago. He currently awaits trial for assault, attempted murder and two counts of manslaughter._

 _In the meantime, the state of the World Tree Yggdrasill has been thoroughly analyzed. Atmospheric mana-level readings taken by the Tethe'allan Meteorological Society show no significant decrease in mana production following the incident, and the tree's outward appearance, while slightly altered, shows no sign of injury. The only remaining danger is the Non-Vegetative Zone, colloquially known as the NV Zone or the "zone of death" due to the breakdown of living tissues caused by exposure to the unstable mana within. It is currently unknown what caused this deadly phenomenon, though some researchers and historians have hypothesized that it is a natural defense mechanism of the Tree brought on by localized stress. Until the effects of the NV Zone are fully understood, it remains a restricted area and will be under 24-hour patrol to prevent trespassing and further endangerment of the public._

 _I have received many letters concerning the future of the Alpha-Beta research project and Lezareno's involvement therein. The Palmacosta University issued a statement yesterday that the project would be suspended indefinitely, and the Lezareno Company has made the decision to discontinue support until the university deems the project safe to resume. We at the Lezareno Company like to consider ourselves leaders in innovation, but we also believe that innovation should never be built on the loss of life._

 _My intention in making this statement is not to minimize the severity of what happened, but to make sure that it isn't overshadowed by the specters of what didn't. A single loss of life would be one life too many, a single injury one injury too many. We can claim that we are working for the ambiguous principle of the "greater good," but as soon as that principle blinds us to the harm that we are doing to others, we can no longer claim either of those words. Now more than ever, citizens of both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla need to consider the impacts of their actions on those around them, as they affect not just one of these countries, but the whole of the united world. Keep close to those you hold dear and never take their presence for granted. It is in loving and supporting one another that we, as citizens of this united world, can truly work for its_ greater good _._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Duke Bryant, President of Lezareno Company_


	43. Chapter 43

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 20:**  
 _Cha bhi fios are math an tobair gus an tráigh e._  
The value of the well is not known until it goes dry.

 **43-**

It was a misty afternoon, and the ground was saturated with the lazy residue of what _could_ have been rain but didn't seem to have much ambition to be more than a light drizzle. Visibility was poor, so the patrol stationed along the Non-Vegetative Zone took their assigned measurements and then stayed close to the tall fence that stretched the circumference of the restricted area. The older of the two had made the same patrol many times before, and she was instructing the young first-timer on the proper procedures. He may have been new to the patrol area, but he had more than enough experience with his patrol partner for their conversation to turn quickly into small-talk.

"So," Bryan began, motioning to the massive green canine that had returned from an up-close examination of the Great Tree and was now trailing attentively at Anna's heels, "did they ever figure out exactly what Noishe's deal is? Like, is he _immune_ to the deadly effects of the NV Zone, or is there something different about the way it affects him, or...?"

Hearing his name, Noishe perked up his ears and turned his head to look at Bryan. It took his attention away from where he was going, and he blundered into Anna when she stopped.

"No. The best they could do was look for DNA in his fur and saliva, but they couldn't find any. The geneticists at the Elemental Research Lab in Meltokio were totally baffled. I didn't really understand what they were saying about proteins and _domino-acids_ and whatever, but I think it just means Noishe is special." Anna was speaking to Bryan, but her attention was directed toward Noishe. She scratched his head, moving down his scalp and around to the base of his ear, and appreciated the way his eyes closed halfway in enjoyment. "Whatever it is, I'm just glad that we have _someone_ who can venture into the zone of death for u-"

Bryan frowned and interrupted. "Aren't we, uh, supposed to call it the NV Zone? The captain got mad at me the other day for saying 'zone of death'…"

"Kratos just doesn't want us encouraging any of those silly rumors about how the Tree has turned evil and is out to get us or whatever- and we won't! I'm more interested in Noishe anyway. Who's my beautiful, mysterious, magical creature? Who is it? It's Noishe~!"

Anna leaned over to plant a kiss on the side of Noishe's head and his tail began to wag furiously, throwing water all over the two soldiers.

"H-hey, Noishe! Calm down! That's no fair!"

Anna's laughter was so loud, it seemed to echo off the nearby mountains and reverberate around the hillside. It was contagious, and Bryan couldn't help a smile of his own. He reached out to pet Noishe, his hand sinking further than he'd expected into the thick, wet fur around Noishe's neck. He pulled his hand free in surprise and found it coated with light green fur that he promptly rubbed off onto his uniform pants. In doing so, he stepped back and suddenly lost his balance. His arms flailed out, and Anna rushed over to catch hold of his wrist. She was able to help him regain his balance, but once he did so, she didn't let go of his wrist right away. In fact, she seemed to grip it even tighter as she paused, her expression pained.

"Anna, should we… take a break?"

"Huh?" Anna let go of his wrist and straightened back up. "I'm okay, if that's what you're asking. But if you need to sit down for a while and make some adjustments, it's no problem-"

"N-no, it's not that! I just lost my balance on a slippery patch of grass, is all. I just thought, since the captain said you need to take it easy-"

"I'm alright, I promise! But if you're not used to this kind of terrain yet, it only makes sense to stop and adjust the-"

"I don't need to adjust it anymore, actually. You're the one I'm worried about getting tired-"

"But you're the one who's still getting used to-"

They both stopped, eyeing each other as they realized exactly what the other was doing. An embarrassed blush spread across Anna's face, and Bryan mirrored it.

"I could really use a break, thanks."

"Me too."

The two found a spot under one of the lean-to shelters built against the fence. Anna unbuttoned a few of the buttons on her uniform, and Bryan removed his left boot so that he could start tinkering with the mechanical prosthetic on his leg. They both let out a sigh of relief, glad to be off their feet but still wary to admit their own weaknesses.

"Having trouble?" Anna asked as she noticed him struggling with one of the sliders along the side. "What kind of prosthetic is that? It's a newer Lezareno model, right? One of Lloyd's friends has something similar, so maybe he could help you get a better feel for it."

Bryan looked up in surprise. "Really? Which friend? I didn't realize."

"Er, I guess he could be called a friend…" Anna leaned back against the fence as she recounted the story. "More like a pen pal. He's taken a vow of silence as a monk, so it's easier for them to keep up through letters."

Bryan's eyes glinted in curiosity. "A vow of silence? That must take an amazing amount of willpower! Just being a monk in general- I can't imagine it."

"He always was a very religious sort of person." Anna glanced away. "And… well, it was either the abbey or the hospital after he was acquitted from terrorism charges on an insanity plea…"

"...oh…"

"But Lloyd says that he's very happy! So all's well that ends well, I guess."

Bryan just shook his head. "Lloyd can make friends with the strangest people. I wonder where he gets it from."

"Hey, now!"

Anna pouted, but the expression was just for show and it dissolved into a giggle once she was satisfied with Bryan's surprised reaction. She leaned back again and heaved a long sigh, drawing Bryan's attention to the position of her hand. Since they'd been chatting, she'd kept one hand resting protectively against her lower abdomen, along the bump that was just conspicuous enough to be noticeable from a short distance. It was further emphasized at the moment by the tight fit of her uniform just below the waist- no wonder she'd unbuttoned it the first chance she got.

"You know, you can always request a larger size uniform if that one's getting too small-"

Anna held up her free hand to cut him off. "Actually I can't. At least, not if I want to keep patrolling. I promised Kratos."

"You promised him what?"

"Well, he's been so overprotective the last couple months, pressuring me to go on reserve… I made a deal that I'd step down from the active patrol once my regular uniform didn't fit anymore."

Bryan couldn't help a laugh. That seemed such an _Anna_ thing to do. "You could always snatch a bigger uniform from the storage room when no one's around. The captain wouldn't notice… probably."

Anna pouted again, this time for real. "Even if he didn't notice, I could never do that! That'd be _lying_ to him, and Dwarven Vow eleven says that lying is the first step down the path of thievery _._ "

"You'd… you'd also have _actually_ committed thievery…"

It was a valid point, but Anna ignored it. "I wonder if I could find this same fabric," she mused, looking down at her shirt, "or at least something similar enough to do some alterations. Our agreement never said I couldn't make changes to the uniform I already had."

"A maternity uniform for an armed militia?" Bryan scoffed. "Now I've heard of everything."

He was trying to make her laugh, but the seriousness in her expression made him wonder if he'd spoken too harshly. He opened his mouth to apologize, but didn't manage to speak before she did.

"...but that would be an awfully underhanded thing to do… when Kratos is just trying to protect me…"

Her voice cracked, and she sniffled as though she were choking back tears. Bryan saw her expression change and reached out in concern.

" _Anna_? Are you okay?"

"S-sorry!" She straightened up, wiping tears from the edges of her eyes. "I got a little carried away there. I've been all emotional recently, and… well… I just started thinking about how Kratos would react to that situation. He has so much weighing on him, another frustration like that might just… oh, I don't want to think about it."

"Is he okay?" Bryan hadn't interacted with Kratos much since the incident a few months back, only briefly receiving orders from him when rejoining the active militia. He had sensed a difference in Kratos' demeanor, but couldn't put his finger on just what it was.

"He…" Anna began, and sighed. "...he's grieving, I guess. In his own way, on his own time, he's dealing with a loss he wasn't prepared for."

"The man who died during the incident- he was the Captain's close friend, right?"

"Yes. Yuan and Adora's mother were both very close to Kratos." Anna held her hands close to her chest. "And that's another thing- Adora's mother, Yuan's fiancee, died in almost the same way. She was stabbed and killed trying to protect the Great Seed. Kratos couldn't do anything back then, so I guess he feels like… like he _should've_ been able to do something this time. He was hired by Yuan to protect Adora, and not only did he lose Adora, he lost Yuan too-" She stopped as she realized what she was saying and shook her head. "Not that I think that! I'm just saying what I think _he's_ thinking!"

"Of course. And you know him better than anyone. You know how his mind works and where his fixations tend to fall. If anyone could figure out what he's thinking, it's you."

Anna frowned. She drew her knees up as close to her chest as she could comfortably pull them and rested her arms on top. "But just because I have some idea what he's thinking doesn't mean I know how to help him. Just being by his side seems like all I can do at this point…"

Bryan offered her a smile. "Maybe _that's_ what he needs."

"You think? I don't know-"

Anna's statement was interrupted by the sound of a howl in the distance. She and Bryan both looked up, recognizing the noise immediately. It was Noishe's designated sound to warn of an intruder.

Anna stood up and helped Bryan to his feet before pausing to fix her uniform. Bryan was already running toward Noishe's position, and she scrambled to catch up. From a short distance, she saw what the cause of Noishe's distress was and allowed herself to relax a little. He was standing by the edge of the grass, using his nose to poke at the unmoving body of a medium-sized animal that was slumped over, half-inside the non-vegetated zone as though it had entered and dropped dead before the rest of it could catch up. When she made it to where Bryan was, he had leaned over to examine the creature.

"It's a Gaoracchian sand fox- a common species in this area. Adult female, from the looks of it. It must've dug under the fence trying to get at some sort of prey and ended up here-"

"We're not supposed to get within one meter of the boundary," Anna warned, motioning for Bryan to step back. "The expansions are getting more frequent, so there's no telling when another one might occur. Noishe, sweetie, can you bring that fox over here for us to look at?"

Noishe bent down and gingerly grabbed the fox by the scruff of the neck, carrying it away from the boundary a safe distance and placing it back on the ground. He whined, nudging it with his nose a few times until it turned over. When it remained unmoving, his ears drooped back against his head and he let out a high pitched, drawn-out whine.

"I'm sorry, buddy," Bryan murmured, patting Noishe on the head. "There's nothing you can do."

"Bryan, look. This fox… she…" Anna had knelt down next to the fox to get a better look, but when she spoke up again, Bryan heard her voice crack as though she were about to cry.

"What is it?"

"...she's lactating. She must have young pups. This must've just been a trip away from her den to hunt… but now she… she…"

"Anna-"

"...she's never going to go back for them… and without their mother to nurse them or hunt for them… they're going to starve… all alone…"

She was sobbing openly by this point, hunched over with her hands over her face. Noishe leaned down beside her and nuzzled his face against hers with a whine. She didn't react, so he kept at it, circling around her and nudging her other cheek with his nose.

"W-we have to go find the den… we have to save those pups… we have to… have to…"

"Anna, we can't. I know how you must feel about this, but it's just a fox. These things happen. We need to write this up and do an inspection on the fence to see how it got in."

Bryan was trying to keep a level head against an intensity of emotion that he'd never seen from Anna. She had grabbed onto Noishe, wrapping her arms around his neck and sobbing into his fur. Noishe turned his head around, nudging her with his nose and giving her a few reassuring licks on the cheek. The gesture, along with Bryan's words, seemed to calm her down. With Noishe's help, Anna pulled herself back to her feet and wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry. You're right. We should… we should go ahead and report this. Let's do an inspection of the nearby fence to determine a place of entry." Once Anna had said this, she turned back to look at Noishe. When he was sure she was steady on her feet, he'd gone back to sniffing at the fox. But when Anna turned around to beckon him, he was gone. " _N-Noishe?_ "

Her exclamation grabbed Bryan's attention, and he turned around to look. "Huh? Where'd he go?"

"I don't know. He was here just a second ago. I mean, he's always had a tendency to run off on his own when he feels like it, but lately he's been sticking close to me…"

"I hope everything's okay," Bryan murmured, glancing uneasily up at the Tree. Anna nodded in agreement.

"I hope so too."

* * *

The simple elegance of the gneiss headstone was meant to justly serve the memory of the deceased without overshadowing the epitaph with elaborate carvings or designs. It was decorated with the precision of a master craftsman, the hard stone showing little sign of the two decades of wear it had weathered. But the message on the metal plaque- " _Anna Irving, devoted mother"_ \- was not the current focus. Instead, a wooden box had been placed at the foot of the stone, its top cleaned and polished to emphasize the names carved into the wood. " _Yuan Adora Martel,"_ it read, and the names were linked together by a carving of a vine that snaked around the edges of the lid. Against the side of the box sat a bouquet of flowers, a small plush rabbit, a censer whose contents were no more than warm ashes at this point, and a cold bowl of barley rice.

" _Are ye alrecht? Th' kids inside are startin' tae wonder whit ye're up to."_

The sound of Dirk's voice caused Kratos to jump, and he turned around with a sigh. "I'm fine," he answered, trying to play it off as though he hadn't just been startled. "I was just trying to figure out how long it's been since Song was here. The incense is almost burnt out, but the rice is still untouched by the local wildlife. I'd say he was here… mid-morning or early afternoon?"

It was phrased as a question, so Dirk nodded in affirmation. "Aye, somethin' like 'at. I dinna see him. I've tauld him 'at he's welcome tae pop in fer some tea an' a chat when he comes by, but he ne'er does. He doesnae say hello or anythin'. Most times I dorn't e'en ken he's been haur until I smell th' incense."

"And he does this every week?"

"Twice a week, lately. He must hae a place tae bide here in Sylvarant. Has he closed up shopin Meltokio? _"_

Kratos frowned. "I… I knew that he hadn't opened the pottery shop again since the incident, but I thought he was working for the hospital. Traveling back and forth twice a week would take all his time, though- he must be here in Sylvarant somewhere."

Dirk closed his eyes, heaving a sigh as he thought it over. "I dorn't blam him fer needin' tae gie out ay th' place. After a loss like 'at, it's hard tae stay in th' home whaur ye made sae many memories."

"The fact that he hasn't maintained contact with anyone is worrisome, though," Kratos replied.

"Oh? You're worried abit him after aw?"

The way Kratos flinched at the assumption, it looked as though he'd been accused of a crime. "Not _personally_! I'm worried because Song is the one to whom Yuan entrusted his Cruxis Crystal. I don't want it being misused or endangered because of-"

"Aye, say whit ye will. 'at expression on yer face dorn't come withit some sort ay personal worry, ye know _._ "

"Hey, now-!" Kratos began to protest against Dirk's laughter, but the Dwarf stopped suddenly and turned to him with such a serious expression that he couldn't help but listen.

"...and fit are ye farin' through all ay this? He was yer oldest friend, wasn't he?"

The question gave Kratos pause. He turned back to look at the box in front of the gravestone, his expression pensive. " _Friend_ is… a strong word."

"Aye, 'at's why I used it _._ "

"I wouldn't have used it, but-" Kratos stopped and shook his head. "I suppose it all comes of being functionally immortal for so long. You lose your sense of time, your sense of grief becomes skewed because you're forced to watch all the people around you die and be reborn thousands of times over. There are few you can keep close, and Yuan and Mithos were not the best companions- er, well, it's not like I was any better. Still, even with Martel's loss, I never truly considered the mortality of the other two. I never, even after 4000 years, thought that…" His voice quieted, its hushed tone betraying only the slightest hint of the emotion underneath. "...that I'd be the last one left."

There was a silence between the two men as Kratos' words sunk in. For once, in all his paternal wisdom, Dirk was lost for words. He let out a sigh and nodded his head.

"Thanks fer tellin' me _._ "

"Heh, if Yuan knew I was getting sappy over his grave after all the times I tried to kill him with my own hands, he'd never let me live it down."

"Dwarven Vow 20; th' value ay th' well is nae known until it goes dry."

Kratos groaned. "How'd I know you were going to pull that one?"

Dirk chuckled and gave Kratos a pat on the back. "Lloyd has taught ye well."

" _-what have I taught him?_ "

At the sound of Lloyd's voice from the front of the house, the two men turned to look. Lloyd appeared around the corner, followed closely by Colette and her dog. Upon seeing them, Lloyd smiled and broke into a run.

"There you are! We've been waiting for you!" He tackled Kratos in a hug so forceful that it almost knocked him off-balance. Dirk cleared his throat loudly, and Lloyd released his hold on Kratos' shoulders, taking a step back and pouting. "I'm fine, Dad, _really_. The doctor said so this morning! Just let me hug my other dad in peace, will ya?"

The statement made Colette giggle, though her amused expression fell when she opened her eyes again and looked past Kratos and Lloyd. Her eyes settled on the box by the gravestone and her whole body seemed to draw back. "I-I'm sorry, I hope we weren't interrupting you. Lloyd was just getting worried, is all…"

"Don't worry, Colette. You didn't interrupt. Dirk and I should have taken our conversation inside."

Dirk nodded and pointed back toward the front of the house. " _Shall we?_ "

"Actually-" Lloyd raised his hand. "-I also came out to ask if Colette and I could go for a walk before it gets dark. She has something she wanted to show me, and the sun is setting, so there's not much time-"

"Lloyd, your faither is haur tae see ye. It'd be rude tae run aff th' moment he comes in. _"_

"It's not my fault he was taking such a long time out here-"

"He needed tae pay his respects tae a dear friend. Shaw a wee bit ay compassion would ye-?"

Kratos held out a hand to quiet him. "It's alright, Dirk. I'm not in a hurry. I know Lloyd hasn't been able to get out much these past few months, so he deserves the chance to explore a little while there's still daylight. Lloyd and I can catch up afterwards."

Dirk sighed. "If ye say sae. Bit remember, Lloyd, jist because th' doctor gae ye a clean bill ay health doesnae mean ye can immediately return tae yer normal reckless behavior. Ye may be healthy enaw tae gang off on yer ain now, bit dorn't overdo it. _"_

"Of course, Dad. I'll be fine. I've got Colette to protect me, after all."

There was a moment of silence as Dirk thought it over, and finally he let out a sigh. "Dorn't be tay lang. Genis and Zelos said they'd be haur around sunset, min'? They'll expect ye tae be home an' in ain piece."

"I'll take good care of Lloyd, I promise. You can count on me!" Colette said, giving a reassuring pat to the eager dog at her side. "Pete's a good guard dog, so he'll let us know if there's any danger, and I'll make sure Lloyd gets home safe and sound."

Dirk suppressed a fond laugh. "Aye, I ken ye will. Ye always hae."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean? Dad- hey, don't ignore me! Dad!"

* * *

Colette led the way through the Iselia forest, and Lloyd followed after her closer even than the dog did. The two were arguing, if you could call it that, teasing one another amidst friendly laughter.

"-look, I'm just glad to be out here," Lloyd defended. "If I had to stay cooped up around the house any longer, I might've gone crazy!"

Colette just giggled, deciding she'd let Lloyd have this one. "So now what are you going to do? Now that Doctor Jacobs has given you the okay, are you going back to Luin?"

"Of course! We plan to head out tomorrow. Dad and I have been working nonstop on course material for the school, and he's excited to go examine the basement so he can lay out building plans- even if he won't admit it."

"Do you… think he's going to move to Luin with you? I mean, if he's going to be teaching at the school, then…"

There was a pause. Colette's question has been asked with some trepidation, as though she were afraid of the answer. It confused Lloyd, but he answered truthfully, hoping that her response would give him some sort of clue as to what was on her mind.

"We haven't thought that far ahead yet. He built this house himself, so I think he'd be reluctant to leave it, but at the same time, Luin's history as a Dwarven trading post means there's probably still some Dwarven architecture beneath the city that would make a better place for Dad to live. His health is starting to suffer from living on the surface so long, I'd feel better if he could find a nice cave…" Lloyd caught himself rambling and shook his head. "Long story short, the answer is _I don't know._ "

"Okay."

It was a simple answer, not giving Lloyd even a clue what she might be thinking. He moved closer, nudging her shoulder. "Something wrong?"

"Wha-? No! I'm… no!" Her answer was stammered and broken, and it took her a moment to regroup. "Hey, we're almost there! Just a little further down the mountain."

Lloyd wasn't pleased with the half-answer, but he followed after her silently. Maybe he could delve further once Zelos and Genis arrived- Genis always seemed to know what Colette was thinking, and Zelos was the person she confided in the most.

Colette stopped partway down a particularly steep portion of the trail, first calling out ahead of her to make sure Pete didn't wander off too far, and then looking back to make sure Lloyd was following. Satisfied, she hopped down the last few feet of the trail and stopped at the base of the cliff, motioning to the nearby field. "Here! Take a look!"

Lloyd reached the bottom of the cliff and glanced around, trying to take in as much of the scene as he could in the waning twilight. It was empty, just a large expanse of flat land hugging the mountainside. Where there might have been grass at one point, there was nothing but vaguely churned-up earth, and Lloyd couldn't find anything in the area that seemed worth showing someone.

"Colette, there's… there's nothing here."

"Exactly!"

Her bright smile could've lit the mountainside all by itself, though paired with the situation, Lloyd had to fight the fleeting thought that she was messing with him. But the thought was just that- fleeting- as it suddenly dawned on him where they were standing.

"W-wait a minute!" Lloyd held up his lantern as though it would give him a better view. "This is… this is where…" He swiveled around to face Colette again. "...the ranch! It's all gone!"

Colette admired his incredulous expression with a look of pride, though it was broken after a few moments as she watched the large dog shuffling around the edge of the cliff. "Pete, sweetie, come back here! That's dangerous!" She broke off into a run, and tossed a glance back at Lloyd. "Come on- you're welcome to explore!"

There wasn't much to "explore," but that was the point. Lloyd had to wonder how long it had taken, how many people it had taken, to completely remove all traces of the Desian infrastructure. The clearing was still mostly bare dirt, making it obvious that something _had_ been there at one point, but if he hadn't grown up passing by it twice a day Lloyd wouldn't have the slightest idea what it might be.

"How… I mean, who…" Lloyd began to ask questions once Colette had managed to coax her dog back over. "When did this happen?"

"They started work on it last month. It took about six weeks altogether, since the ranch was already somewhat damaged."

"And _who_?"

Colette scratched the back of her head. "To tell the truth, I'm not really sure. Zelos was the one who hired the demolition group. I think they were from the Palmacosta area…"

"So Zelos arranged this?" Lloyd gasped. "He's been so busy with research in Sybak, I didn't think-"

"It's something we've been working on together," she interrupted. "Zelos has decided he wants to come live in Iselia. After all, Seles has made so many friends and felt so much better since she moved in with my family and me, and Hazel is seriously considering Doctor Jacobs' offer to replace him when he retires next year, and I like the school here so much more than that stuffy academy back in Meltokio…" Colette let her voice trail off, watching Lloyd as though she were gauging his reaction. He tried to stay positive, but he was still trying to wrap his head around the information.

"So, like, he wants to build a house where the ranch used to be?"

"What? No, no!" Colette stiffened and waved her hands. "We were clearing the area because we wanted to turn it into a memorial!"

"A… memorial?"

"Yeah, like a public park dedicated to the memory of all those who suffered and died because of the Desians." Colette found a spot by the foot of the cliff, leaning back against the rock. "We've been talking with people like Chocolat, who lost family to the Desians, and been through some of the records that Kratos recovered for us from the remnants of the computer systems. We know we'll never know the names of _everyone_ who suffered in the ranches, but if we can get as many names as possible, then maybe we can record them on some kind of monument."

"Wow…"

Lloyd looked out on the empty terrain again, seeing it with new eyes. The idea that such an awful place could be remade into something that would give people hope- it was so like Colette.

"I love it." Lloyd spoke up again, turning his attention back to Colette. "I want to do everything I can to help you guys out… if that's okay with you-"

"Oh, Lloyd, we'd love to have your help!" Colette grabbed his hands, her eyes sparkling with delight. "You always have great ideas! What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I don't know if it's what _you_ had in mind for the monument, but Luin has extensive records of the people injured and killed when the village was destroyed. I could request access to those for you."

As soon as he mentioned Luin, the sparkle in Colette's eyes disappeared. She hid the change in her demeanor so well, it would've been hard for someone unfamiliar with her mannerisms to notice. Lloyd, however, knew her too well to miss it.

"You're right, Lloyd, that would be fantastic!" Colette chimed, not missing a beat. "Thanks for the offer."

"Colette, are you…" Lloyd began, squeezing her hands. "...is there something-?"

He couldn't finish his question, as he was interrupted by a shrill series of barks from the other side of the field. Pete came running, his tail sticking up in alert and his ears shifting back and forth as they searched for the source of the sound that had frightened him. The thick fur on the back of his neck was raised, and he stared into the forest with a low growl. Colette gasped and ran to Pete's side, throwing her arms around his neck to keep him still.

"What is it, boy? What's the matter?"

Lloyd didn't have his swords with him, but he did have a lantern with a lit flame, and he knew that the forest monsters usually stayed away from fire. Something large was moving through the brush- and it was coming their way.

Colette pulled her dog back, recognizing only the sound of a large and potentially dangerous animal, but Lloyd instantly recognized the sound of the footfalls and the pattern of the breathing. "Noishe?" he gasped, noting the rapid breathing that suggested physical exertion. "Noishe, is everything alright?"

Noishe appeared in the lantern-light only momentarily as he passed by them, but it was enough for Lloyd and Colette to see the green of his fur… and the deep red color of blood.

" _NOISHE!"_


	44. Chapter 44

As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 57:**  
 _Còmhla ri chèile mar an t-sluagh a 'fuireach._  
People survive under the shelter of one another.

 **44-**

" _NOISHE!"_

Lloyd had seen the red near Noishe's muzzle only momentarily, but it was enough to confirm that it was blood. Lloyd ran after him, calling him again with the hope that he'd stop and allow an examination. Noishe _could_ fight, but he was so afraid of monsters that he generally turned tail and ran at the sight of conflict. What could have hurt him…?

He heard Noishe stop a short distance ahead of him, and by the time he caught up, Noishe had turned around to face him. Lloyd held up the lantern to see better, but the scene was clear, even in the waning light.

A thin stream of blood dripped down from Noishe's muzzle, and Lloyd followed it upward to the mass of brown and white fur that hung limply in Noishe's mouth. It was a hare- a snowshoe, by the looks of the feet and the last few remnants of the white winter coat. Lloyd sighed in relief that Noishe was unharmed, and then began to puzzle over the situation out loud.

"Wow, buddy. That's a nice, uh… nice catch. I didn't know you could hunt. You've never done this before, at least not as long as I can remember. Are you hungry? We have plenty of food for you back at home-"

As Lloyd spoke, he was interrupted by the sound of Pete barking from further down the trail. Noishe turned around and ran off into the forest again before Lloyd could even call out his name.

"Noishe! W-wait! Where are you going? Hey-" He started to run after Noishe, but Colette caught up just as he did, so he turned around to explain the situation. "Something's wrong. Noishe is acting weird."

"Is he hurt?" Colette asked, placing a hand on the scruff of her dog's neck to keep him from running ahead.

"No, he's fine. But that hare he caught has seen better days."

Colette gasped and covered her mouth. "I didn't know Noishe could hunt! You always fed him, so I just assumed… but I guess even he has certain instincts."

"Stil, I don't know why he's suddenly taken up hunting. He doesn't seem like the kind of animal who'd hunt for sport, and Mom and I always make sure he has enough to eat."

"Well, where did he go? If we follow him, maybe we can find out!"

Lloyd frowned and looked back into the thick brush. "I dunno. He ran off so fast, I didn't have a chance to see exactly where he went. It's almost dark, and it's not a good idea to be wandering aimlessly around the forest in the dark-"

As he said this, Colette took her hand off of her dog's neck, and he bolted out into the forest, his tail raised in excitement. Colette ran after him, motioning for Lloyd to follow.

"This way! Come on!"

When they finally caught up with Noishe, they found him knelt down over his catch in a small thicket. As soon as he noticed them- tipped off by a tentative growl from Pete, his ears perked up and he lifted his head, dropping the piece of raw meat that was in his mouth. Lloyd slapped a hand over his mouth in disgust as he saw the red stains around Noishe's muzzle. He was about to speak up when he noticed another sound, like the squeaking of a tiny animal. His gaze shot down to the ground by Noishe's feet, but it was obscured by the thick brush, so he couldn't see anything. Noticing the movement of Lloyd's attention, Noishe swiped his tongue around the sides of his mouth to clean it and leaned down into the thicket again to grab something. Lloyd stiffened and looked away, halfway expecting to be offered the tattered remains of the hare. But that wasn't what Noishe was reaching for.

"Oh Lloyd, look!"

The joy in Colette's voice was unexpected, and Lloyd turned his head back around to see what was going on. From the thicket below, Noishe had produced a tiny canine creature that was squealing and squirming in his grip. He placed the pup down on the ground near Lloyd's feet and returned to the thicket to retrieve a second. Pete began to tread closer with his nose pressed to the ground, but Noishe turned toward him with an uncharacteristic snarl, and he retreated behind Colette with his tail between his legs.

"They're… puppies…?" Lloyd gasped, kneeling down to examine the creatures. Noishe had returned to the thicket again and came back chewing a piece of meat. Lloyd was inspecting the pups, but he scrambled as soon as Noishe spat out his chewed-up mouthful right near his feet.

"Ew, Noishe-" Lloyd shot back up so that he could take a proper step back. "-that's _disgusting-_ "

"No it's not!"

Colette grabbed Lloyd's free arm with one hand and pointed with the other. The two pups were already digging into the pile of chewed meat while Noishe watched with a look of satisfaction.

"This is how mother dogs teach their puppies to eat solid food," Colette explained. "Once the puppies are about a month old, the mom stops nursing them and instead offers them pre-chewed or regurgitated food. It's not disgusting at all; it's a totally natural thing for mother dogs to do."

Lloyd didn't necessarily agree with her on that account, but he was too fascinated by the facts to worry about her opinion. "Noishe…" he began with a gasp, "...are these _your_ puppies?"

At the sound of his name, Noishe raised his head to look back at Lloyd. He didn't react to the question right away, but eventually he tilted his head to the side and whined.

"Aw, buddy, why didn't you tell us you were having puppies? We would've supported you!" In his excitement, Lloyd completely forgot his earlier disgust with the situation and set his lantern aside so he could embrace Noishe. He threw his arms around Noishe's neck, burying his face against the soft fur. "I can't believe my Noishe is a mom!"

Noishe whined uneasily, but didn't try to pull away.

"These are some of the strangest puppies I've ever seen, though," Colette commented, kneeling down to get a closer look at the pups who had finished the available food and seemed to be searching for more. "I know it's dark, but even so, I know I've never seen any puppies quite like them. They're adorable, but couldn't even begin to guess what breed they are."

Lloyd let go and turned back around, keeping one arm around Noishe. "Well, their mother isn't exactly the most normal dog either."

"True." Colette picked up one of the pups, fascinated by the way it squirmed in her hand and started biting at her arm. "I wonder- _ow, sharp teeth!_ \- wonder who their father is."

Lloyd let out a scandalized gasp and pressed his hands over Noishe's ears. "Colette! That's none of our business! If Noishe wants to tell us, he will. But if not, there's no need to pressure him." He removed his hands and turned his head back. "I'm sorry, buddy. If you want to be a kick-ass single mom, we're here for you unconditionally. You don't have to tell us anything you don't want to."

"I don't think he's going to tell us anything, whether he wants to or not…"

"I _know_ that! But it's the principle of saying so that counts!"

As the two argued, Noishe looked back and forth with a confused whine. Pete inched forward again with some trepidation, trying to get a better sniff of the pups, but all Noishe had to do was take a step in his direction and Pete scampered away. Colette giggled and approached the whimpering dog, the pup she was holding still cradled in her arms.

"Here, boy. It's okay. Noishe is just trying to protect his babies."

Lloyd watched her with a fond smile, but he turned back when he felt Noishe nudge his shoulder. Noishe had picked up the other pup by the scruff of the neck, and when Lloyd turned to face him, he dropped the pup into his arms.

"You want me to hold it? Thanks, buddy." Lloyd hugged the pup close, ignoring the way it scratched against his arms and cheek. "We should probably give the puppies names, don't you think?"

"Yes, of course!" Colette took a closer examination of the pup she was holding and looked up again. "This one feels like 'Sweet Pea."

"How perfect!" Lloyd chimed. "And this one can be 'Noishe Junior!' Welcome to the family, little guys!"

Noishe leaned over Lloyd's arm to nudge the pup, and began licking around the top and side of its head. The pup stilled its earlier struggles against Lloyd's grip, enjoying the sensation of being groomed. Lloyd could've watched the scene for hours, but the echo of a faraway voice caught his attention.

"... _Colette! Lloyd!_ "

Colette perked up too, her heightened senses giving her a better sense of where the sound was coming from. "That's Genis' voice! How long have we been gone?"

Lloyd looked up at the sky, examining the positions of the constellations. "Well, the moon isn't above the treeline yet, so it can't be _that_ late-"

"No, I mean, weren't we supposed to be back before it got dark?"

There was a pause.

"Aw, dammit. Dad's gonna be pissed."

Colette pulled herself to her feet and yelled out "GENIS? WE'RE COMING; DON'T WORRY!" She then turned to motion toward Lloyd and Noishe. "Do you think Noishe will mind if I carry Sweet Pea back?"

"I don't think so," Lloyd answered, gauging Noishe's reaction as he stood up with the other pup still cradled in his arms. "Is it alright if we carry the puppies for you, Noishe?"

Noishe's ears perked up and he started leading the way back toward Dirk's house, so Lloyd followed after him. It didn't take them long to find the mountain path again and retrace their steps back to the light of the house. Genis was waiting by the creek, waving from the bridge and running over to meet them halfway.

"There you are! Dirk said you were supposed to be back before dark. What happened? What are you-?"

"Oh, Genis, you're never gonna believe the news we have!" Lloyd met him first and held the lantern over the pup he was holding. "Is Kratos still here? He's _gotta_ hear about this."

"What is that? A baby fox?"

"It's a _puppy,_ silly! Noishe had puppies!"

Genis frowned and looked back and forth between Noishe and the pup in Lloyd's arms. "Wha… is that even possible…? I thought he-"

"Let's go inside and talk it over with everyone!" Colette insisted, pushing her way across the bridge. "Pete, sweetie, come on! Let's go show Zelos the puppies!"

"Oh! Colette, uh, about that-" Genis reached out after her and the dog, but she didn't seem to be paying attention, so he sighed and followed. "Let's go Lloyd. Dirk was worried about you, and I want to see what Noishe's so-called _puppies_ really look like."

By the time Lloyd and Genis made it to the door, Colette had already gone inside and they found her receiving information from Kratos. Her excited smile was gone, and she was nodding her head as she listened.

"-didn't tell him exactly what the meeting was about, but I assume that, if I was asked to come, it has something to do with the Great Tree or the NV Zone."

"I see," Colette replied. "I'd sleep better tonight if I knew what the meeting was going to be about, but I guess if it's sensitive information, they wouldn't want to give it out to just anyone…"

"What's going on?" Lloyd asked, pushing his way into the conversation. "Where's Zelos? Wasn't he supposed to be here?"

"Zelos was called to Mizuho," Kratos replied, "along with Colette and me. Apparently they're holding a meeting tomorrow and they've requested the presence of the Chosens. The fact that they've invited me as well makes me think it must be related to the NV Zone, but I can't say for sure. Zelos decided to go straight there from Sybak, since he was so close. Colette and I will leave for Mizuho tomorrow, after we've accompanied you and Dirk to Luin and I've taken care of some militia responsibilities there."

Lloyd pouted. "That's no fair. Sheena didn't ask _me_ to join in?"

"Probably 'cause ye're still recoverin'," Dirk responded. "Whit were ye daein' out sae lang? What've ye got there?"

"Oh, that's right!" The pup had fallen asleep in the crook of Lloyd's arm, so he'd almost forgotten that it was there. "This is _so_ exciting, you guys- Noishe had puppies!"

Kratos' stern expression dissolved into one of unexpected disbelief. "What? That's impossible. Noishe isn't a… and even if he were, he's not a…" His voice trailed off and he shook his head, leaning over to get a better look at the pup in Lloyd's arms. As he did so, Colette let out a sharp gasp, and everyone in the room turned to look.

"L-Lloyd!" she exclaimed, spinning around on her heels to face him. Her voice was twinged with a sense of sadness, almost betrayal. "These… these aren't dogs at all!"

"What?" Lloyd held his up to get a better look.

"Genis was right," Colette continued, letting her pup crawl over her arms and up her chest to her shoulder. "I think… I think they're _foxes_."

Genis moved over to help Colette with the explorative pup that was sniffing and biting at her hair. Lloyd reexamined his own pup and carried it back over to Noishe, who was sitting calmly at Kratos' side.

"So…" Lloyd began, trying to wrap his mind around the situation. "...so Noishe's mystery beau wasn't another dog at all, but a fox? No wonder he didn't want to tell us. Don't worry, buddy! We approve of even inter-species relationships-"

Kratos put his hand on Lloyd's shoulder to cut him off. "No, Lloyd, that's not what they meant. There's no way Noishe gave birth to these pups. He must have found them somewhere and brought them here."

"You're saying Noishe is a kidnapper? He would never-!"

"No, he wouldn't," Genis interrupted as he reached over and picked up the pup from Colette's shoulder, "but he might _rescue_ pups that have been orphaned. Based on the square face and narrow muzzle, I'd say these pups are Gaorrachian sand foxes. They're native to high altitudes on the Gaorrachian continent in Tethe'alla."

"That's-!" Colette gasped. "That's where the Great Tree is!"

Genis handed the pup back to Colette. "It's possible that the pups' mother was hurt or killed by the recent earthquakes and landslides associated with the NV Zone."

Kratos nodded in reply. "I received a radio dispatch this afternoon that Anna and Bryan's patrol discovered a fox that had dug its way around the fence and was killed in the NV Zone. Noishe usually accompanies Anna on her patrols, so…" He turned his head to make eye contact with Noishe. "Did you do this for Anna, Noishe?"

Hearing the name, Noishe sat down and began to wag his tail, giving a cheerful yip in reply. His eager-to-please expression told Kratos everything he needed to know.

"Well, then, I suppose 'at answers 'at."

Dirk laughed, crossing the room to give Noishe a pat on the head. "It seems 'at Noishe has learned his Dwarven Vows as well. He ken nae tae leave a bairn aw alone when ye can dae somethin' tae help."

Colette took her pup back over to where Noishe was sitting, allowing it to scamper down and hide behind Noishe's front legs. "I guess that means they areNoishe's puppies after all. He's an _adoptive_ dad."

"It's no wonder." Lloyd leaned down to elbow Dirk's arm. "He learned from the best, after all."

"If ye hink flattery can gie ye out ay trouble fer stayin' out past dark, ye're sorely mistaken."

"What? Dad, come on-!" Lloyd stood up straight again and crossed his arms. "There were extenuating circumstances, and it's not like you _said_ we needed to be back by sunset in the first place. You just said that Genis would be here by then."

"I'm jist teasin' ye this time, lad. I ne'er actually tauld ye tae be back by sunset, sae you didnae disobey me. I jist want ye tae be careful. I ken I cannae stop ye frae runnin' aff now 'at ye're officially healed, sae as lang as ye tak' care ay yerself, I willnae get angry. _"_

"Dad," Lloyd gasped, his pout melting back into a smile, "does that mean I can ask about going to the-?"

"Aye, I dorn't see why not."

No one else seemed to know what Lloyd was talking about, and Kratos took a step back as he saw Lloyd spin around on his heels to face him. "Kratos!" Lloyd exclaimed, clasping his hands together. "Can I please go visit the Great Tree?"

It took a moment for Kratos to respond. "You… what are you talking about? Why do you want to go to the Tree all of a sudden? There's nothing out there except the NV Zone, and that's dangerous-"

"That's exactly what I want to see!" Lloyd insisted, taking a step forward to close the gap between them. "I've heard all about it from Genis and Zelos, but I want to see it for myself. I want to understand it better."

Kratos reached out to place a hand on Lloyd's shoulder, though the gesture seemed less of a reassurance and more of a precaution to keep Lloyd from tackling him like before. "If you want to get a better understanding of it, the best way would be to visit the Imperial Research Academy or the Palmacosta University where the major research is taking place. Going to the site itself won't help you, and it might put you in danger unnecessarily." He turned to look at Dirk. "Do you really approve of this?"

Dirk winked at him. "Dwarven Vow 178, donnae let yer formal education gie in th' way ay yer learnin'. _"_

"Yep. I should've seen that one coming."

"Th' lad has tae see it wi' his ain eyes. He was th' ain fa promised tae care fer th' Tree when it first began tae grow, after aw. Cannae ye at least allow him 'at? _"_

"I… suppose it wouldn't hurt for him to go close enough just to _see_ it," Kratos answered with a sigh. "But he still wouldn't be allowed into the restricted area for safety reasons."

"Aye, ay course."

"And I would want someone else to accompany him." He turned to look at Genis and Colette, who were busy playing with Noishe and the pups. "You two- would you be willing to accompany Lloyd to the border of the restricted area so that he can observe the Tree?"

"Huh? I mean, yeah, but…" Genis looked up, pulling himself to his feet so that he could rejoin the conversation. "I'm actually headed to Sybak tomorrow. Professor Low is meeting with a Lezareno Company consultant in the morning, and then she promised to give Bianca a tour of the Imperial Research Academy, so Nika and I were gonna go on a little… d-date…" His face flushed red as he choked the last word. "But maybe some other time-"

"It's near Sybak, though, right?" Lloyd interrupted. "The three of us could go together tomorrow morning on the way to where we're headed- you on the way to Sybak, Colette on the way to Mizuho, and me on the way to Luin."

"It is… nowhere _near_ being on the way to Luin, Lloyd."

Colette giggled, standing up beside Genis and grabbing his arm. "I think he just means that he'll return to Sylvarant afterward. Honestly, it doesn't sound like such a bad idea. I haven't had the chance to see it yet either. I've been too scared to go alone, and Seles hasn't felt up to traveling much. We could go early tomorrow morning, that way no one will be late for their plans."

Kratos cleared his throat. "If you three want to go, I know I can't stop you. However, I still have some time-sensitive work waiting for me in Luin, so I cannot accompany you. I will contact the patrol on duty for tomorrow to let them know that you're coming, and that you won't be allowed inside the restricted area. They'll let you into the observation tower and will be authorized to let you use some of their optical equipment to get a better view- will that be sufficient?"

"Yeah, totally!" Lloyd replied. "As long as I can at least _see_ the tree, I'll be fine."

There was a moment of silence. Kratos frowned and narrowed his eyes as he evaluated Lloyd's statement. He turned to look at Dirk, who just shrugged in response. Sighing, Kratos turned back to the group.

"Genis, Colette, I'll be counting on you two to make sure Lloyd keeps his word."

"Wha-? Y-you don't trust me?!" Lloyd stammered. "But I-"

"We'll keep him in line," Genis interrupted, stepping forward so that he could give Lloyd a pat on the back. Colette smiled and nodded in agreement.

"You can count on us!"

"Good. I will."

Lloyd pulled away, holding up his hands in defense. "You guys are so mean! When I say something like that, I mean it! Dwarven Vow number eleven, lying-"

"- _is the first step down the path of thievery_." Kratos, Colette, and Genis all finished the vow in unison, and Dirk started laughing so hard that he had to step back and steady himself against the wall. Lloyd pouted and crossed his arms, but there wasn't much more he could say in his defense.

"Thanks a _lot_ , you guys! If you're gonna be so mean, I might as well just go sleep outside with Noishe and the puppies."

"Make sure tae tak' a blanket. It still gets cold at night."

"Dad!"

* * *

It was already light out by the time Lloyd's group arrived at the Great Tree, but it was overcast and the few rays of pink sunshine peeking out from behind the clouds on the horizon did little to lighten the solemn mood of the place.

Kratos had commandeered all the rheiards for use by the militia patrols, but since he and Dirk were able to travel from Iselia's north port to Luin by ferry, he allowed Lloyd and his friends the use of one so long as Lloyd returned it to the militia's Luin headquarters when he returned. This meant that they arrived in "official" style, and were greeted immediately by the tower patrol, who showed them inside and allowed them use of the telescopes and binoculars. Lloyd, however, just stood by the window, staring at the scene.

"It… looks awful…" he murmured, fidgeting with his hands. Genis put down the binoculars he was using and patted Lloyd on the shoulder.

"Look at the leaves, though. They're all bright green and the branches are full of them. That at least means the tree is healthy."

"Yeah, but…" Lloyd narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to the window. "...what's up with that circle of dead grass around the perimeter of the NV Zone?"

One of the soldiers broke in to answer his question. "Actually, the bare soil only shows the original placement of the boundary," she explained. "The line between the live and dead grass marks the current position. There have been fourteen expansions so far, each one increasing the radius of the NV Zone by an average of eight centimeters."

Colette clasped her hands against her chest. "Zelos told me it was expanding, but I thought it was just by a small amount. To have grown over a meter in only three months…"

"That's not the most dangerous part," Genis added. "Each of these expansion events is accompanied by a powerful earthquake. Though the epicenter has always been the Great Tree, people have felt the effects as far away as Ozette. It seems to be happening more frequently lately, but it's still so sporadic that no one is sure how to predict when the next expansion will happen."

Lloyd pounded his fists against the windowsill. "Dammit! The Tree is obviously in pain, but I don't know what to do about it! I promised I'd care for the Tree, and yet I let something like _this_ happen-"

Colette hugged Lloyd from behind, throwing her arms around his waist and squeezing him tight. "It's not your fault! You were hurt! There were lots of other people trying really hard to protect the Tree, and even all of them working together couldn't prevent this… couldn't protect the Tree… or Adora…"

She started to shake like she was trying really hard not to cry, and buried her face in the back of Lloyd's coat. He turned around so that he could pull her to his chest instead, and she allowed herself to begin sobbing. Genis moved to comfort her too, but noticed the soldiers watching with awkward expressions.

"Colette, Lloyd, why don't we… uh… go downstairs and take a minute to calm down."

Lloyd and Colette nodded and stepped back, following Genis down the tower's spiral staircase until they reached the ground floor. Safely away from the prying eyes of the soldiers, Colette allowed herself to cry and Genis was the one to offer a hug and comforting words. Lloyd, meanwhile, stood by the door and stared out at the fence.

"We've got to get out there," he murmured once Colette and Genis' voices had died down. They both turned to look at him, Colette wiping the last of the tears from her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," he replied, pointing toward the fence, "we need to get closer to the Tree."


	45. Chapter 45

As always, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 84:**  
 _Is fhearr fheuchainn na bhith san duil._  
It's better to try than to hope.

 **45-**

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we need to get closer to the Tree," Lloyd replied, pointing toward the fence. "I know we're not supposed to, but I just want to go into the restricted area for a few minutes. Just long enough to tell the Tree that we're sorry, and ask what we can do to help."

"Lloyd!" Genis hissed. "You know we can't do that! I care about the Tree too, but we can't ignore the safety procedures that have been put into place. They're there for a reason."

Lloyd didn't back down. "You weren't there, Genis! You didn't hear what the spirit Martel said about taking care of the Tree; you didn't make the promise that Colette and I did. Tell him, Colette."

"Well…" She looked down, her cheeks still red. "That's…"

"C'mon, Colette. We promised Lloyd's dads that we'd protect him. You're not going to let him endanger himself, are you?"

"I… I don't want to put anyone in danger. But…" She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I want to go with Lloyd. I want to see the Tree up close too."

Lloyd gasped, his eyes sparkling with delight, while Genis slumped in defeat.

"Colette!"

"Colette…"

"O-of course, I don't even know how we can get in since the restricted area is so heavily guarded!" She stepped backward and waved her hands. "So it may not even be possible-"

"I have a plan!" Lloyd interrupted. Genis groaned and placed his head in one hand.

"He has a plan. Of _course_ he has a plan."

Colette ran over and latched onto Lloyd's arm. "I'll follow you, then!" she chimed. "C'mon, let's hurry! I have to leave for Mizuho soon."

"Y-you know how much trouble we'll be in for this, don't you?" Genis stammered, grabbing Lloyd's wrist before he could make it out the doorway. Lloyd just smiled back at him.

"You're only in trouble if you get caught."

"With this many guards around, we'll _definitely_ get caught!"

"Well… yeah, I can't argue with that, but…" Lloyd sighed. "If we find a way to help the Tree, it'll be worth it, right?"

There was a pause. Genis approached Lloyd, holding out one hand. Lloyd extended his free hand to shake, but Genis raised his outstretched hand and slapped Lloyd across the face. Colette jumped back with a yelp, and Lloyd raised his own hand to gingerly poke at his cheek where Genis had struck him.

"Wh...wha…?"

"What the _hell_ do you think Raine and I have been doing all this time?! What do you think Zelos and Professor Low have been doing?!" Genis grabbed Lloyd by the shoulders. It wasn't a real threat- he had grown tall in his own right, but he was still no match for Lloyd's towering stature and muscular figure. But it was enough to cut through Lloyd's enthusiasm and get him to pause long enough to listen. "While you've been off your feet, we have been doing _everything_ we can to figure out how and why this is happening to the Great Tree. We've tried to use magitechnology to get soil and grass samples from inside the NV Zone, but the unstable mana field short-circuits all our unmanned collection devices. If it does that to machines, what do you think it would do to people? There are reasons that the restricted zone remains restricted- and you've _got_ to respect that."

Lloyd was quiet, not trying to move away or pull from Genis' grip. He lowered his head, looking away as he spoke.

"I… I trust you, Genis, I really do. I trust the work that you and Zelos and Raine are doing. But you don't have the connection that Colette and I have with the Tree. Colette is smart, so maybe she could do this science-y stuff with you. But I can't. This is all I can do, so I have to. I just _have_ to. You're trying to stop me because you promised my dads. I get it. But can't you do this for me?"

Genis squeezed Lloyd's shoulders, his fingers digging into the fabric of Lloyd's coat. "I didn't promise just because Kratos asked. I promised because you're my friend and I couldn't bear the thought of you jumping into trouble and getting hurt. Not again. I couldn't bear it last time, and I couldn't bear it again… so…"

The sound of Genis' voice cracking drew Lloyd's attention. There was a look in Genis' eyes that Lloyd was unfamiliar with. It was sad, almost desperate. It hurt to look at, and yet somehow Lloyd couldn't look away. His expression softened and he reached out to pull Genis into a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you felt that way. Being cooped up for so long with only Dad around, I've lost touch with the rest of the world. My need to understand what's going on with the Tree blinded me to the fact that I don't even understand what's going on with the people I care about the most. I shouldn't have pressured you to break your promise, especially when you made it because you care about me. I'm sorry, Genis."

Genis relaxed his grip on Lloyd's shoulders and lowered his arms so that he could return the hug. "So that means you'll be satisfied going back to Luin now?"

"Mm, not satisfied, but-" Lloyd let go and took a step back. "-I know that you're working hard to help the Tree and I trust you. So I'll be okay."

The two were quiet, stepping back so that they could look each other in the eyes. Lloyd smiled, and Genis mirrored him. For a moment, they were completely lost in the relief of having come to an agreement- but that moment didn't last long.

"Um…" Colette spoke up and cleared her throat, drawing the two boys' attention back to her. "...I hate seeing you fight, so I'm really glad that you two made up, but... Lloyd, can you tell me what your plan was for sneaking in? Because I, uh…" She blushed and glanced away. "...still want to go."

Lloyd and Genis exchanged a surprised look, turned back to examine Colette, and then looked back at one another before bursting into a fit of laughter. Colette froze up, looking back and forth at them with a frown.

"I-I… I… I'm sorry, is that wrong of me to say after what Lloyd decided-?"

"No, no." Genis shook his head and reached out to pull her into their embrace. "We've made this into a stupid battle of wills, and that's not what it is. It's about weighing our safety against our desire to help the Great Tree. Raine and I have entered the restricted area before on research trips, so it's honestly pretty hypocritical of me to get angry at you or Lloyd for wanting to go… _talk_ to the Tree or whatever."

Lloyd looped one arm around Colette's shoulders. "Y'know, I just had a thought. You guys promised Kratos that you'd keep _me_ out of the restricted area. You never said anything about yourselves. So if I stay out here, you wouldn't _technically_ be breaking your promise-"

"And leave you out of the fun?" Genis interrupted. "Not likely!"

"But Genis, you were about to cry earlier when you were begging me not to go…"

"I-I wasn't going to cry!" Genis snapped to attention, pulling his arms back. "I just wanted to make you _think_ I was going to cry so that you'd feel bad for me and take my side."

"Wow, really?" Lloyd gave an exaggerated gasp. "You must be a really good actor, then, because it looked like you were gonna cry for real-"

"It was an act! An act!"

Colette giggled as their banter started up again, but she glanced toward the doorway and noticed how bright the sunshine was getting. "You guys, this is fun and all," she began, "but if we're going to visit the Tree before I leave for Mizuho, we need to do it now."

Lloyd snapped to attention and nodded his head. "Right!"

"So what _was_ your genius plan, exactly?" Genis asked with a sigh.

"Oh, I was just gonna tell the guards that Kratos gave me permission to go in."

" _What?!_ "

"But Lloyd," Colette began, "what about Dwarven Vow eleven? Lying is the first step down th-"

Lloyd reached out and clapped a hand on her shoulder, cutting her off.

"Look. By this point, I've already _been_ to thievery and brought back souvenirs. Let's not waste our time worrying about it, okay?"

* * *

"That's strange; I don't remember receiving a dispatch from the Captain about it."

The guards stationed around the perimeter of the restricted area were finishing up an evening shift and looked pretty tired. Lloyd had called out to them before setting foot through the gate, putting on an air of total confidence as he explained that Kratos had authorized the three of them to enter the restricted zone for a "preliminary test of auditory stimuli on the Tree"- or whatever Genis had said. Lloyd wasn't sure what it meant, but it sounded smart, like something Kratos would say, so it made their story that much more believable.

"There must've been a malfunction with your radio," Lloyd insisted. "The unstable mana field can affect magitechnology like that. I guess the dispatch must not have come through."

"Even so, I don't like the idea of just letting you in like this. I should radio the captain-"

"And interrupt his meeting to tell him you don't trust his own son?"

The guard's partner elbowed him. "He has a point. Besides, he has plenty of reason not to lie. If he's lying, the captain will find out when we turn in our report, and then he'll _really_ get it."

"Aw, but the captain would go easy on his son, wouldn't he?"

There was a pause, and the second guard narrowed his eyes. "Oh, I forgot. You're new around here."

Genis nodded in agreement. "If you think Lloyd gets any special treatment, you obviously don't know Kratos."

"He's just hard on Lloyd because he wants him to grow and improve, right?" Colette asked.

"The lion trains his young by throwing them off a cliff," the second guard offered, and Genis and Colette both nodded in reply.

Lloyd briefly wondered if they were actually trying to scare him out of it, but he placed that thought aside. He'd already made his decision anyway. "Trust me, I know better than to lie about this sort of thing," he assured the first guard. "Do you have any idea the kind of trouble I'd be in if Kratos found out I lied to his own soldiers about something he said?"

The second part was the truth, at least.

"Alright," the first guard answered with a sigh, "but you know the regulations for visitors, don't you?"

Genis was the one to answer this time. "No weapons, no magic use, and getting within one meter of the NV Zone boundary is strictly forbidden."

"Good. Go on in, then. If you have any trouble, come get us- we'll be here at the gate reporting on the radio malfunctions to tech control."

"Alright, thanks. We will."

* * *

"Are you sure you'll be alright on your own until Lloyd gets here?"

Dirk had stayed with Kratos while he performed the inspection on the militia's equipment and spoke with the technology team about their sensors and current readings. Thankfully, there didn't seem to be any problems, so it took less time than Kratos had expected. He wanted to go on to Mizuho so that he could be there for Colette when she arrived, but he hated to leave Dirk alone in an unfamiliar city.

"I'll be okay. But whit abit Anna? She's nae here?"

"She's seeing a doctor in Palmacosta. I told Lloyd that she should be back by this afternoon, so he knows to keep an eye out for her and tell her that I'm in Mizuho."

"A doctor in Palmacosta? Are there nae doctors here?"

"Well, yes, but we don't have the specialists that Palmacosta has. With the reliable ferry service, we don't see a problem in her traveling if it means she can see a more experienced obstetrician."

Dirk stopped. "Is she alrecht? I ken ye donnae want tae worry Lloyd, but if thaur's complications, I'd lik' tae know. I'm family tay, after aw."

"No, no, of course not. She's fine, far healthier than she was with Lloyd, even. It's not surprising, given our better living conditions now, but even so…"

"Oh, I see. It's preventative _._ "

"Yes, _preventative_. That's a good word." Kratos gave a satisfied nod. "I'll have to tell Anna that. Her word of choice was _paranoia._ "

Dirk laughed loudly and patted Kratos on the back. "Sae ye're a worrier after aw! Good tae know! _"_

Kratos' face flushed and he turned his head away to hide it. "I don't have time to worry. I've got my family and the militia to deal with, and now I'm involved in whatever's going on in Mizuho too."

"Well, donnae add onie worry abit me. I'll be fine. Ye gang on ahead tae yer meetin'. Th' people ay Mizuho are countin' on ye. 'at's our future daughter-in-law's family, dorn't forget."

The change in subject was enough to make Kratos forget his embarrassment and turn back to Dirk. "Have they made thing official with the village council? I don't want to say anything I shouldn't while I'm there-"

"Er, no, they havenae yet. Lloyd accepted Sheena's proposal, bit he has tae be present fer th' ceremony or whate'er it is 'at they gang through tae mak' th' engagement official wi' her village. A lot ay unnecessary work, if ye ask me, bit I'm sure th' same could be said abit some Dwarven traditions."

"Well, Dwarves tend to be more practical," Kratos answered, crossing his arms as he thought it over. "Their traditions revolve around the quality of the finished product rather than the steps to get there, expecting every individual to develop their own methods. Mizuho, meanwhile, is very concerned with appearances and order, making sure that the perception of their actions fits with the expectations of the society as a whole."

Dirk nodded. "I cannae speak fer Mizuho, bit ye hae a good understandin' ay Dwarven culture. It's very individualistic- perhaps tae much sae, in some cases. It'll be interestin' tae see how an individualist lik' Lloyd works wi' such a community-based culture-"

Their conversation was cut off as a voice from behind them called out, repeating Kratos' name. He recognized it as one of the technology consultants they'd been speaking to earlier and spun around to see what was going on.

"Oh, good, you haven't left yet!" The woman caught up to Kratos and Dirk and stopped to catch her breath. "We just got a message from the active patrol that I wanted to pass on to you."

"The active patrol?" Kratos gasped, his mind suddenly racing with fear for the sake of Lloyd and his friends. "Did something happen? Was there another expansion-?"

"No sir, nothing like that!" The woman shook her head. "I'm sorry to worry you. The patrol just reported some malfunctions with their radio system. They believe that proximity to the unstable mana field is causing problems with the receiver, but they're not sure. I told them I'd let you know, and they said to apologize for missing your earlier dispatch."

Kratos sighed in relief. He knew that machines placed in the NV Zone were prone to short circuit, so it wasn't a stretch to think that constant low-level exposure might damage some of their equipment. The worry was not about the radio, which was replaceable, but about what the exposure might be doing to the _people_ involved in the patrol.

"Thank you for telling me. Let the patrol know that I'll be stopping by shortly to check the equipment. We may need to send it in for analysis by the Imperial Research Academy to determine what kind of low-level mana imbalances it's been exposed to. But…" He stopped as he processed part of the statement that hadn't occurred to him until just then. "...I haven't sent out any dispatches this morning. Did they say what the content was or how they knew they'd missed it? If someone from outside the militia sent them a message, it means that someone has found the frequency we're using for our communications."

"No, sir, they did not give any information about the missed dispatch. I'm assuming it came through to the watchtower and not the ground patrol. But you can ask yourself when you're there."

"Thank you. I will."

The woman saluted and then turned to head back to headquarters. Dirk approached Kratos with a sigh.

"As if ye didnae have enaw tae worry abit awreddy…"

"I told you, I don't have time to worry." Kratos sighed and started down the street again. "If Lloyd is still there when I arrive, I'll tell him you're waiting for him at his place."

"Sounds good. I'll wait fer him there."

* * *

Lloyd approached the tree, stopping about a meter from the boundary separating the green grass underfoot from the dead, brown grass. He glanced back to see if the guards were still watching, and once he was satisfied that they were distracted, he continued in and stopped right at the edge.

"Lloyd! The rules say to stay back one meter!" Genis hissed, running up behind him. "Besides, the ground is wet and muddy, and if you slip and fall in, you're dead."

"I know, I know." Lloyd raised one hand and waved it at Genis. "I just want to get a better look at it. What would happen if I…" He took his other hand and reached out, gently extending it out in front of him. It reached the invisible boundary and immediately, a flash of pain caused Lloyd to jerk his hand back. " _Ow!_ "

"What did I tell you?" Genis asked with a groan. "Let me see your hand."

"It feels okay now," Lloyd answered, stepping back to offer his hand to Genis, "but when I hit that boundary, it felt like I was being burned, even though it wasn't hot."

Genis examined Lloyd's fingers and then released his hand. "The exposure killed the first layer of skin cells, but the damage isn't deep. If the skin starts to crack or bleed, you can put a bandage on it, but other than that it should heal fine."

"So that unstable mana is really dangerous," Colette commented, standing on the tips of her toes so that she could see Lloyd's hand better. "Scary."

"It is," Genis agreed. "That's why we're not supposed to be this close-"

" _YGGDRASIL!_ _MARTEL! HEY!_ "

Genis and Colette both jumped in surprise at Lloyd's sudden outburst. He'd cupped his hands around his mouth and leaned forward as much as he could before calling out.

" _IT'S ME, LLOYD! I JUST WANT TO TALK TO YOU! ARE YOU OKAY? GREAT TREE YGGDRASIL? SPIRIT MARTEL? HELLOOOOO?"_

The group went silent again, waiting tensely for something to happen. But nothing did. There didn't seem to be any response from the Tree, and eventually the din of buzzing insects started up again after being spooked by the noise.

"...I guess it really can't hear us from this far away," Colette murmured. "I'm not surprised, but still, what are we supposed to do?"

"For starters, we should step back." Genis took Lloyd and Colette's hands and pulled them back a short distance with him. "If there's an expansion event, we don't want to be caught up in it."

"You know," Lloyd began once they stopped again, "the wind is pretty strong, and we're downwind. Why don't we go around to the other side and see if our voices will carry better from upwind of it?"

"That's…" Genis began, prepared to scientifically dispute whatever idea Lloyd had come up with but finding no flaws in the plan, "...actually not a bad idea in theory. Strong wind can affect the propagation of sound waves, so it's worth a shot."

Lloyd had already begun to run off as soon as Genis reached the words " _not a bad idea_." Genis groaned and followed after him, motioning for Colette too.

"Come on, let's go. I don't want to let him out of our sight."

"Yes, of course!"

Colette ran after him, but she had a hard time keeping her eyes on her friends. The image of the Tree, so far away and still so clear in view, was mesmerizing. The knots and bulges on the trunk almost seemed to be moving when she was running like this, though she knew it was just an illusion. Wind blew through the boughs, shaking the branches and sending leaves falling to the bare, rocky soil below. There was a sadness to it that she couldn't shake, like something within the Tree was crying for help-

Not paying attention to where her feet were landing, she hit her toes against a large rock and lost her balance. Her arms flailed out in front of her in an attempt to catch herself, but the ground was uneven and damp from the morning dew, and she hit her knees and went tumbling to the side.

Once she regained her bearings and was able to sit up, she could hear voices yelling her name. Her head was pounding and she wanted to examine her knee where it was scraped up, but she first looked up to see Lloyd and Genis watching from a short distance away. They were both wide-eyed, and Lloyd was holding Genis back with both arms as though trying to keep him from running in Colette's direction. She was confused at first, but when she glanced down to look at her knee, the gravity of the situation became clear.

Her right leg was still partially on the green grass, but her left leg and most of her torso were sitting atop the strip of dry, brown grass within the NV Zone. The sight of the brown was more terrifying even than the red on her right knee, and she ignored the pain to scramble to her feet and make a mad, limping dash to where Lloyd and Genis were watching. Colette could feel a slight trickle of blood running down from her knee as she ran, but she managed to stumble into Lloyd and Genis' outstretched arms. "I'm okay," she murmured, pressing her face against Genis' chest. It was said more to reassure herself at first, but after a moment of relief, the reality of what had just happened sunk in and she repeated herself with an air of disbelief.

"I… I'm okay…"


	46. Chapter 46

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 113:  
** _Aon bhò a bhristeas an garradh, 's a dha dheug a leumas._  
One cow breaks the fence, twelve leap over it.

 **46-**

"I… I'm okay…"

Colette's words were spoken against Genis' chest, muffled somewhat by the fabric of his coat. Lloyd had his arms around both of them, holding them close and speaking over Colette.

" _Oh gods, oh gods, I'm so sorry, Colette, so sorry… I never should have suggested… never should have decided… never…_ "

Genis was speaking too, resting his cheek against the top of Colette's head. " _I-I was gonna jump in after you… it was the only thing I could do… I couldn't bear to think of you… you…_ "

Colette stayed there for another few moments, listening to their voices to help her calm down. Finally, she pulled away and took a half step back so that she could speak to both of them directly.

"I don't understand. It didn't hurt at all. I'm totally fine-" Her words were contradicted by a rush of pain from her knee, and she gritted her teeth. "-er, _mostly_ fine. But the NV Zone didn't do anything to me. What happened?"

"Let's bandage your knee first," Genis replied, reaching into his bag and rummaging around for his first aid kit. He knelt down beside her and applied some alcohol to a piece of gauze. "You tripped on that rock over there and kinda skidded downhill- or, that's what I saw, at least."

Colette cringed as he pressed the gauze against her knee. "Y-yeah, I think so. It was all a blur to me, honestly."

"I wonder if the Tree heard us after all," Lloyd suggested, glancing over towards it. "Maybe it made the area safe for us so that we can approach it."

"I don't know… I'm not sure I want to risk it." Genis finished sterilizing the cut and placed a bandage over it. "After a scare like that, we should cut our losses and get out of here."

"But if the Tree really made the area safe," Colette began, "it must be trying to communicate with us. We can't just leave it."

"Let's go check it out," Lloyd suggested, "just… slowly and _carefully_."

"Huh. Those are words I never thought I'd hear from you."

" _Genis!_ This is about Colette's safety!"

"Yeah, yeah…"

The three approached the boundary again, taking care to walk slowly and mind where they stepped. They stopped as far away as their arms allowed them, and Colette was the first to reach out. She extended one arm and hesitantly stepped forward so that her fingers just crossed the line, and-

Nothing. There was nothing at all. She pulled back, glancing at Lloyd and Genis, and then tried again, this time placing her whole hand over the boundary. When that didn't produce a response, she began to wave her arm back and forth, and finally took a step so that she was standing halfway over the dead grass again. Still, nothing happened.

Lloyd took a deep breath and stepped forward too, holding out his own hand. He reached for Colette and she took her hand in his, slowly pulling it towards her until it reached the edge of the boundary-

" _OW!_ "

Lloyd jerked his hand back with a yelp of pain and held it close to his chest. Colette gasped and ran to him, stepping aside only enough for Genis to examine Lloyd's hand again.

"It's the same as before," Genis observed. "Did it feel the same?"

"Yeah, it did. But that doesn't make any sense. Colette was just fine."

Colette looked back and forth between Lloyd and the Tree, a pensive frown on her face. "I don't get it… I can't be the only one… hey, Genis!" She stopped and grabbed his hand. "See if you can touch the boundary without getting hurt."

"What? No way! Did you see what it did to Lloyd's skin? I'm not gonna risk that-"

Lloyd placed both his hands on Genis' shoulders, causing him to jump. "I told you, it doesn't hurt once you pull your hand away. And you said yourself, it'll heal just fine. Think of it as a scientific investigation."

"Scientific investigations don't involve testing on _yourself-_ " Genis started to yell, but he realized how loud he was being and stopped himself. "...alright, fine. I'll try it, but just for the sake of getting information."

Colette and Lloyd watched expectantly as Genis approached the boundary and extended his left hand. He stopped before his fingers reached it, took a deep breath, and gritted his teeth as he continued. But there was no yelp of pain, no sudden recoil. Genis finally opened his eyes as he realized how far he'd reached, and saw that his hand was past the boundary all the way up to his wrist.

"It… it doesn't affect me either…" he murmured in disbelief. "I don't feel a thing. I mean, I can tell that the mana inside is different from outside, but it's not hurting me at all."

"What?!" Lloyd ran up beside Genis. "You're telling me I'm the only one who gets zapped? That's not fair!" He tried to put his hand over the barrier again but drew it back in pain as soon as it hit. " _Ow!_ Geez…"

Genis and Colette watched as Lloyd, undiscouraged by his previous pain, continued to press his fingers against the boundary. Each time he let out a yell and pulled his hand back, but he did it again and again.

"Ow! Come on, it's me- _ouch!_ \- Lloyd. I just want to- _ow!_ \- help you out. If you'll- _ow, ow!_ \- give me a chance, I promise I'll- _ouch!_ "

"Lloyd, stop it." Genis grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "You're not going to change anything by hurting yourself, and doing that over and over could really damage your fingers. As a craftsman, you should be taking care of your hands, right?"

"I… well, yeah, but…"

"Besides, I don't think that the unstable mana zone is something the tree is _consciously_ creating- if it can even be considered conscious at all. It's probably a byproduct of some internal process currently in dynamic equilibrium."

Lloyd's expression had clouded over. "Uh… yeah… that's…"

"What Genis means is," Colette broke in, "there's got to be a pattern to who can enter the field and who can't. We just have to figure it out."

"Oh!" Lloyd clapped his hands and looked back up toward the Tree. "So there's something you guys have in common that's allowing you to enter unharmed, and we just have to figure out what it is, right?"

"Right!" Colette chimed with an enthusiastic nod. "Something Genis and I have in common that Lloyd doesn't… hmm…"

There was a silence as they all paused to think it over. With not much time left to spend puzzling over the situation, Colette began to think that maybe they would need to come back later after they'd had time to consider it. But after another moment of quiet, Genis and Lloyd both let out an exclamation at the same time.

" _Ah!_ " "I've got it!"

Surprised by each other's voice, they looked up to share a moment of eye contact as they tried to figure out if they were thinking the same thing. Genis was the first to speak.

"So you figured it out too, huh? I guess it's pretty obvious."

"It's not _that_ obvious. I figured it out because I'm smart, of course." Lloyd crosses his arms, his smile beaming with pride. Genis responded with a groan, but Colette was curious and bounced up and down on her toes as she pressed him for an explanation.

"What is it, Lloyd? I still don't get it."

"Think back!" Lloyd prompted, waving his hands in a broad motion. "Remember when we had to get the unicorn horn from Lake Umacy? I think it's kinda like that, where you can only approach the Tree if you're… uh…" He stopped, the tone of his voice changing to match his suddenly bashful expression. His face flushed and he glanced away. "...y'know… _pure_ and stuff."

Colette gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth. " _Oh_!"

"Wha-? No, that's not-" Genis broke in, shaking his head as he wrestled with how to tactfully express his disapproval. "-Lloyd, that doesn't make any sense. I'm sure that's not it."

"But, that's-!" Lloyd stiffened. "How can you be _sure_ of that? Is there something you'd like to share with us, _Genis_?"

Genis' face suddenly flashed red as he realized what Lloyd was implying. "What? No, no, that's not what I meant at all!"

"So you can't disprove it, can you?"

"I mean, not me, but..." Genis sighed and looked over at Colette instead. "Colette, you and Zelos…?"

"No." She shook her head. "I would never force him into doing something like that before he was ready."

If it were anyone else, Genis would've assumed the statement was sarcastic. But he knew Colette better than that. "Your heart is in the right place, Colette, but he's really just waiting for you to make the first move, so-" He stopped, his earlier blush returning to his cheeks as he realized what he was saying. "Oh, forget this! That's not the point! You're missing the most logical assumption!"

"Which is…?"

Genis held up his right hand. "Exspheres, Lloyd. Colette and I are both wearing exspheres."

Lloyd and Colette froze, both letting out a low gasp. Colette's hand flew to her cruxis crystal. "You think that's it? But how does it work? How do the exspheres protect us, exactly?"

"I'm not sure. But since exspheres affect their host's mana, it doesn't seem like a stretch to say that they're what is allowing us to survive the unstable mana field. It… makes more logical sense than Lloyd's explanation, at least."

"M-my explanation makes logical sense! It made logical sense to the unicorn!"

"Honestly, that whole 'can-only-be-approached-by-a-pure-maiden' thing is just folklore. I don't think the unicorn would've cared if _Kratos_ had been the one to approach it."

" _Hmph_. If you're so sure of it, then let's test it." Lloyd held out his right hand. "Give me your exsphere."

Genis flinched. "What? No way!"

"It'd only be for a minute. Just long enough to see whether I can get into the NV Zone with it."

"Think about it, Genis," Colette added, "if you can use exspheres to protect you from the unstable mana, you can get all kinds of samples for your research! That'd make Raine and Zelos happy too, right?"

"Well…" Genis frowned and sighed. "Fine. We can try it- but be careful with it."

Lloyd nodded and offered Genis the back of his hand. Genis used his left hand to gently pry his key crest from his own hand, careful to keep the exsphere balanced. He placed the crest on Lloyd's hand, feeling the exsphere lock to the skin like a magnet. Lloyd pulled his hand back, holding it close to his chest.

"Amazing. It's like going back to when you first introduced me to Marble. I feel like I can hear her voice, even though there's no actual sound of words-"

"Quit stalling and go." Genis grabbed Lloyd's arms and turned him around to face the Tree. Lloyd glanced back at Colette and heaved a sigh before stepping forward and reaching out.

"Alright. Here goes nothing."

Remembering his earlier experiences, he steeled himself for the shock of pain as his hand passed over the boundary. But… it never came. Lloyd opened his eyes and waved his hand back and forth.

"Guys, look! It worked! I can-"

" _WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? STEP AWAY FROM THERE IMMEDIATELY._ "

They all jumped back in surprise, and Lloyd could feel his whole body tense up. He'd know that voice anywhere. He leaned toward Colette and Genis to whisper to them.

"What the-? What is he doing here? I thought he was going straight to Mizuho."

"I don't know," Colette whispered back, "but I do know we're in _big_ trouble."

" _I said, step_ away _. I know you heard me the first time."_ Kratos finally approached the group, stopping just a short distance away and pointing toward the ground near his feet. "Get over here. All of you. _Now._ "

There were four soldiers following Kratos, the two that Lloyd recognized from earlier and a pair that seemed to have just arrived. All of them appeared to be trying to keep their eyes off the conflict, but the one who had suggested earlier that Kratos might be lenient with Lloyd was sneaking glances here and there. Genis and Colette didn't move, waiting for Lloyd to do something first. He steeled his nerves and finally spoke up.

"I know you told us not to come in here, but we've figured out something _amazing_. Just look at thi-"

" _I don't care_ ," Kratos shot back before Lloyd could even finish. "You lied to me, you lied to my soldiers, you disobeyed my orders, you ignored all the safety warnings and are _still_ ignoring them-" He cut himself off before his voice went too high. "Give me one good reason that I shouldn't ban the three of you from any future access to the restricted area regardless of extenuating circumstances."

Colette drew in a gasp and Genis flinched as though the idea of not being able to continue his research physically pained him. Lloyd, however, remained firm.

"Because _we_ can get into the NV Zone! Look!"

As he said it, he skipped back a few steps until he was entirely across the barrier, standing with his feet planted on the dry, dead grass. He held his hands up for them all to see, turning his right hand around so that Genis' exsphere was clearly visible.

" _LLOYD!_ "

As soon as he'd stepped back, Kratos screamed his name and lunged forward. It took the strength of all four soldiers plus Colette to stop him from going in after Lloyd- that is until he saw that the zone had no effect on Lloyd whatsoever.

"It's okay, Kratos. I'm totally fine. Genis lent me his exsphere." Lloyd offered a reassuring smile and pointed over to Genis. "He said that the way exspheres alter their host's mana must offer protection from the unstable mana field. Because of that, anyone wearing an exsphere can enter the NV Zone safely."

"I-It's just a hypothesis for now," Genis added, "since we've only gotten these results from Colette's cruxis crystal and my exsphere. But Lloyd proves that it's the exsphere itself, not the person who wears it, that makes the difference in safety. Imagine the opportunities we have now for scientific observation and sample collection-"

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE. YOU'RE GETTING OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW."

Kratos' voice was getting hoarse by this point, but he didn't seem to care much. Colette was already standing with him and the soldiers, so he first grabbed Genis by the shoulder and shoved him in that direction, then approached Lloyd, plunging his hand into the unstable mana field just enough so that he could grab Lloyd by the front of his shirt and yank him out. Lloyd stumbled forward, his hands flying out in front of him in case he fell. But he was soon able to right himself, and he looked over at Kratos in concern. He couldn't see Kratos' skin under his gloves, but the way he was holding his hand made it clear something wasn't right. "Y-your arm-"

"Don't act concerned for my sake when _you_ were the one trespassing in an unstable mana field that could kill you." Kratos grabbed Lloyd's arm with his other hand and pulled him back in the direction of the watchtower. "Come on, you three. Let's get out of the restricted area and discuss what I'm going to do with you."

"D-do with us…?" Colette stammered as she ran to keep up.

"You don't think I'm just going to give you a slap on the wrist and send you away, are you? There have to be consequences for your actions."

The three were silent, following along with dejected expressions as their minds raced to think of what kind of punishment Kratos might come up with. It wasn't like he could just ground them or take away some sort of privilege. They weren't children anymore- even Genis, who had just turned 18, could be charged as an adult under Tethe'allan law. The restricted area was, in fact, recognized as such under legislation from Sylvarant's Governor-General, Tethe'alla's king, and the recently formed Joint World Parliament. What they had done was technically illegal. Oh _gods_ , were they going to be charged with a crime?

As they reached the gate, Kratos spoke up again as if reading their thoughts. "I do have the grounds to charge you with criminal trespassing, but because this area is under both Sylvaranti and Tethe'allan law, that would require the appearance of my soldiers in a joint court proceeding. It would further stretch our ranks and resources, and I'd rather not have to resort to that. I'm sure none of you wants me to either. Is this correct?"

" _Y-yes, sir!_ " They all responded more or less in unison. Kratos gave a satisfied nod.

"Good. Then I will take it up with the respective authorities in each of your individual situations. Colette, I will be speaking with Iselia's mayor and suggest that she decide on a punishment corresponding with local laws. Is this acceptable?"

"Yes, sir."

"Genis, as you are a student researcher at the Palmacosta University, I suspect they will want to know about your behavior made under unauthorized research claims. I will contact the Dean of Students office and let them decide upon disciplinary action. Is this acceptable?"

"Y… yes, sir…" Genis replied, his head drooping. Colette gave him an encouraging pat on the back, and he seemed to relax a little. Kratos then turned to Lloyd, his gaze narrowing.  
"And Lloyd, since you were undoubtedly the mastermind behind this whole endeavor-"

"Th-that's not true!" Colette broke in. "I was the one who-"

"It's okay, Colette." Lloyd waved to cut her off. "I'm the one who brought it up in the first place. Kratos can decide how to punish me."

" _I_ will not be making decisions on anything," Kratos replied. "For you, Lloyd, I will be writing a detailed message to Dirk and encouraging him to discipline you how he sees fit."

"Wh-what?! Come on! With Colette and Genis, you're telling reasonable professionals!" Lloyd grabbed onto Kratos' shirt. "Tell the mayor of Luin! Tell the chief of Mizuho! Hell, _you're_ my dad too- punish me yourself! Please, please, just… don't make this Dad's problem…"

Kratos stared at Lloyd for a long moment, making no move to push him away. His expression was stern, terrifying in its intensity, and Lloyd wilted under the force of it all. He slowly let go of the fabric and stepped back, hanging his head in shame.

"...alright. I understand. But I… I was just trying to keep my promise to Martel and the Great Tree."

Kratos didn't reply to him. Instead, he turned to Colette and Genis. "Colette, you're ready to go to Mizuho, right? I can accompany you with the rheiard to make sure we aren't late."

"Oh, thank you! Yes, I'm ready to go when you are."

"Genis, would you like a ride to Sybak?"

"No, sir. I'm not in a hurry, and the road is nice this time of year."

Kratos nodded in affirmation and then turned back to the soldiers. "Craig, Anthony, please take Lloyd back with you to Luin. I will provide you an address at which to drop him off along with a letter to deliver to the man who is waiting for him there. Do _not_ let him leave your sight until you have delivered both him and the letter to Dirk. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," the two chimed in rehearsed unison.

"Good. Jordan, Anita, you may begin your patrol. The rest of you, come with me so that we can arrange transportation and communications."

" _Yes, sir!_ "

* * *

Dirk had settled comfortably in the big armchair in Lloyd's living room, returning to the editing work he'd been doing on one of the curriculum files. He was so caught up in the work, he didn't even notice how much time had passed before he was interrupted by a knock on the door.

 _Huh? Lloyd wouldn't knock…_

Unsure of who he'd find on the other side of the door, he stood up, set his work aside, and opened the door just a crack. "Aye, can I help ye?"

"Dirk!"

The sight of the familiar smiling face prompted him to throw the door open. "Anna! It's bin too lang- how are ye, lass?" Dirk stepped back and stretched out his arms, and she leapt to embrace him.

"Oh, Dirk, it's so good to see you!" She squeezed him in a hug and kissed his cheek. "I was going to visit you and Lloyd later today since it's been a week since I last saw you, but I couldn't find Kratos. I thought, if he wasn't at home, he might be over here. Is he…?"

She stepped back to give him some space and Dirk sighed. "I'm afraid 'at Kratos got called away oan work. Somethin' goin' on in Mizuho."

"About Sheena and Lloyd?"

"Nae, at least I donnae think sae. Whate'er it is, it involves Colette an' Zelos."

Anna frowned. "Colette and Zelos? I wonder what's going on. Come to think of it, what are you doing here? Where is Lloyd-?"

"Come sit dain. I'll tell ye whit I know."

The two sat in the kitchen and chatted about Lloyd, Dirk explaining about his health and his current trip to the Great Tree. He then asked Anna about her own health, about the doctor she was seeing in Palmacosta. It gave her an opportunity to express her own excitement, her gratitude for the support of her friends in the militia, and her frustration with Kratos' emotional state. Dirk was a good listener; he genuinely loved listening to what Anna had to say, and was glad to offer his own observations about Kratos. It was a warm, enthusiastic conversation, and the two were so preoccupied that they almost missed another knock at the front door.

Anna was the first to scramble to her feet. "Who could that be? Lloyd wouldn't knock on his own door."

"That's whit I thought when ye came by. I donnae ken who it could be."

But that point, Anna had reached the door. She opened it and gasped. "Anthony! And you're… Craig, right? OH! And Lloyd-" The two soldiers stepped out of the way as Anna pushed past to hug her son. "Oh, Lloyd, you look so good! I heard you got a clean bill of health from Doctor Jacobs. I'm so glad!"

"M-mom… thanks. It's good to see you too."

His response was genuine, but subdued, and Anna caught on instantly. "Lloyd, sweetie, is everything alright? Are you hurt? Are you feeling sick?"

"Uh, n-no, it's not that. I just…" Lloyd glanced back over at the two soldiers who were trying to hide the fact that they were staring. "...um, is Dad here?"

"Aye, I'm haur." Dirk appeared by the doorway, looking back and forth between Lloyd and the soldiers. "Whit's with th' welcomin' party?"

"Are you Dirk?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Well, 'at depends on who's askin'."

"I have a message for you from Captain Kratos Aurion. It's regarding his- your- son, Lloyd Irving, who was caught lying to posted guards and trespassing on restricted land."

Anna jumped back, her eyes widening. "Lloyd, no!"

"Let me see 'at letter." Dirk reached out and took the envelope from the soldier, tearing into it and scanning it for a few moments. "I see… I see… hmm… sae 'at's how it is, eh?"

"The captain charged us with escorting Mister Irving back to Luin, asking us not to let him out of our sight until we had entrusted him to you. Can we report that we've successfully delivered him into your care?"

"Aye, 'at ye can. Gie my thanks tae Kratos when ye report back."

"Yes, sir. We will."

The two soldiers said goodbye to Anna and headed back to the militia headquarters, leaving Lloyd at the mercy of his parents. Dirk was reviewing the letter again, but Anna had finally processed the situation enough to scold him properly.

"I can't _believe_ you, Lloyd! Lying, trespassing… that's not like you! What were you thinking?"

Lloyd hung his head. "I'm sorry, Mom."

"You should be! The restricted area is restricted for safety reasons! By going in there, you're putting yourself in danger!" She stepped back closer to him, reaching up to place her hands against his cheeks. "We just don't want anything to happen to you, Lloyd. Not again. Not ever."

"I know, Mom." Lloyd closed his eyes and placed his hands over hers. "I know. I'm sorry."

"Sorry or nay, ye pit yerself in danger. This letter says 'at ye willingly entered nae only th' restricted zone, bit th' NV Zone as well-"

"What? That's impossible!"

"-I'm gettin' thaur, Anna. It says 'at Lloyd an' his friends discovered 'at th' use ay exspheres can protect against th' harmful effects ay th' mana instability. Bit tae dae this, they undoubtedly pit themselves in great danger. Whit were ye 'hinkin', lad?"

"I-it was an accident! We would never have crossed the boundary on purpose! But… well, Colette tripped and fell, and part of her leg crossed the line, but nothing happened to her. So we got curious as to why, and… it turned out that it was the exsphere. That's all."

"An' whit was yer reasonin' fer sneakin' intae th' restricted area tae start wi'? Ye promised 'at ye would keep out. If Colette's exsphere hadnae protected her, ye understand whit couldhae happened-"

"I-I do! It was terrifying! I regretted being there immediately!" Lloyd stopped himself before he could get any more worked up. "Let's just go inside, and you can decide how to punish me then."

Dirk sighed and turned back toward the door, leading the group inside and standing by the door to close it behind them once Anna and Lloyd had entered. He pointed toward the kitchen, looking up at Lloyd again.

"Alrecht, sit daen. I want tae hear yer side ay th' story."

"M-my side?" Lloyd did as he was told, taking a seat at the table, but he was puzzled by the phrasing. "What does 'my side' have to do with it?"

"Everythin'. Ye kent th' dangers ay gettin' close tae th' Tree, ye made a promise, an' yet ye snuck in anyway. Ye must've had a reason. Sae tell me- why'd ye dae it?"

Lloyd looked down at his knees. He couldn't face his father. "It… it doesn't matter why I did it. I disobeyed you, I broke the promise I made, and worst of all, I put myself and my friends in danger. It was wrong."

Dirk groaned and snapped his fingers in front of Lloyd's face to draw his attention. "This isnae a test or anythin'. I'm nae tryin' tae trick ye. I _really_ want tae know. Are ye gonnae tell me, or are ye gonnae keep up yer little pity party?"

"I-!" Lloyd's face turned red. "I wanted to keep my promise to the Great Tree Yggdrasil! Five years ago, I made a promise that I'd care for it and protect it. I named it as a symbol of that promise. Yggdrasil has given mana and the promise of life to everyone in the united world. No matter what the dangers are, I can't just leave it when it's in pain like this!" As he spoke, his voice grew more and more confident until he realized he was yelling and stopped. His earlier blush returned and he looked back at his knees as he sheepishly continued with a "...sorry, I didn't mean to… uh…"

Dirk reached out with a fist and gave Lloyd a sharp hit on the top of the head. Lloyd yelped, more in surprise than in pain, but he looked up anyway, his hands flying to the top of his head.

"Ow!"

"Well, I 'hink 'at's enaw fer now. Seein' yer face when ye described Colette fallin', it's clear ye've learned yer lesson. Now, let's gie ye somethin' tae eat an' gang on wi' our work afair we lose tay much time. Alrecht?"

"Wha…?" Lloyd kept his hands on his head, too stunned to move. "...that's it? That's all? No copying Dwarven vows, no extra lessons, no skipping lunch, no _anything_? Who are you and what have you done with my dad?"

"If ye want more punishment, I'll happily gie it tae ye-"

"No, no, no!" Lloyd was quick to shut down that idea, but he calmed down again with a sigh. "I just don't understand. Kratos was so angry, I thought for sure you'd be even more furious. Especially after I promised, making a big deal about the Dwarven vows and everything."

Dirk crossed his arms and glanced over at Anna, who was perched in the other chair and listening politely but intently. She gave him a little nod, and he turned back to Lloyd.

"Well, tae tell ye th' truth, I owe ye an' apology."

"You owe me _what_ now?"

"Whit ye did was wrong, I'm nae gonnae argue abit 'at. A Dwarf should keep his promise nae matter th' circumstances, nae matter whit anyain says. Bit still, Kratos an' I didnae dae ye any favors last night. We poked fun at ye, nae takin' yer word seriously, nae trustin' ye. An' if we didnae pit any faith in yer word, what motivation should ye hae tae keep it? Why bother wi' people who arenae gonnae trust ye nae matter whit ye say? I've been thinkin' abit 'at aw night, sae much sae 'at I could hardly sleep. Ye deserve an apology fer that, I 'hink." Dirk reached up and clapped a hand on Lloyd's shoulder, locking his eyes with his son's. "Aye, ye should hae kept yer promise, bit we didnae make it easy fer ye. Sae I'm sorry."

"Dad, I…" Lloyd got choked up for a moment, and leaned forward so that he could wrap his arms around his father and squeeze him into a tight hug. "...I'm sorry too. You're right, I should've kept my word to you. Genis and Raine and Zelos are all working hard to find a way to safely help the Tree, so I need to focus on supporting them, not putting myself at risk. I'll remember that- and prove to you that you can trust me from now on."

Dirk hugged Lloyd back and then stepped away with a proud smile. "Well then, we cannae work on empty stomachs. What dae ye want fer lunch? We could gang tae th' market an' gie somethin' tae cook, or we could eat at a restaurant if ye 'hink th' fowk wouldn't mind a Dwarf patron-"

"Let's go to the Lake Sinoa cafe! I haven't seen my friends there since I've been laid up in Iselia, and I'm sure they'd all love to finally meet you!"

From across the table, Anna cleared her throat. "May I go with you? I have the day off, and with Kratos gone, it'd be kinda boring to just sit around the house. Plus, I'd like to help out with whatever you're doing at the school!"

"Of course, Mom! We'd love to have you!"

Dirk nodded in agreement. "Today we'll jist be daein' some surveyin' ay th' site, bit we'd be happy fer your company."

"Hooray!" Anna rose to her feet and clapped. "I can't wait!"


	47. Chapter 47

**Dwarven Vow 103:**  
 _Cha tèid nì sam bith san dòrn dùinte._  
Nothing can get into a closed fist.

 **47-**

Kratos brought the rheiard down along the outskirts of the Gaorrachia forest, near the front gate of the village. From the sky, he'd noticed that several of the village's major buildings seemed to have been altered, but it was hard to tell exactly how from the angle and the distance. Colette was transfixed by the sight, barely waiting until the rheiard had come to a full stop to leap off and go running toward the palisade. A familiar figure had been loitering around the village gate, and as soon as Colette started running in his direction, he moved to meet her halfway.

"My darling Colette!" Zelos made it to her side and scooped her up in his arms, leaning in to press a barrage of kisses against her cheek. "It's been too long!"

"Zelos, come on. It's only been two days," Colette giggled, eagerly leaning into the kisses.

"That's what I said- two days too long."

Colette continued laughing, shifting her head so that their foreheads were pressed together. She managed to kiss the tip of Zelos' nose before they were interrupted.

" _Excuse me,_ " Kratos spoke up after clearing his throat to get their attention, "but I believe the village of Mizuho does not approve of such public displays of affection. I suggest the two of you control yourselves so as not to cause offense."

"Aw, but we're not in the village yet," Colette protested as Zelos gently set her back on the ground. "Can't we have just a minute?"

Zelos flashed a grin. "Yeah, man, don't be like that. You know if Miss Anna were here, you two would definitely be sucking face-"

"We would be doing _what now_?!"

Colette ignored the conflict, changing the subject with a question. "Where is Sheena? She didn't come out to meet us?"

"She's talking with some of the council members," Zelos answered. "I just came out to meet you so that I could, uh, _warn_ you about the state of the village's infrastructure. It's kind of a mess, but if you make a big fuss, Sheena will get upset- so don't freak out, okay?"

"Freak out?" Kratos perked up, his earlier anger forgotten as it was replaced by curiosity. "What's going on?"

"Is everyone alright?" Colette added.

"Yeah, the people are fine. It's just structural damage from the recent earthquakes." Zelos stopped before they reach the gate. "Tread carefully. New sinkholes have only opened up during earthquakes so far, but you can never be too careful. And don't get too close to the edges either, since the ground around them is unstable." He reached out and touched his hand to Colette's cheek. "We wouldn't want ya' tripping and falling in, cutie."

Colette forced a nervous giggle. "Yeah, I've had my fill of falling into dangerous places today."

"Oh? Do tell?"

Zelos looped his arm around Colette's, and they walked together around the palisade and to the gate as she started to tell the story.

"-so Lloyd agreed with Genis that it was too dangerous, and _said he thought we totally shouldn't do it_ -" she was saying, speaking the last part a little louder so that Kratos would hear, "-but I got so emotional hearing Lloyd talk about the Tree, I wasn't thinking right, and I said I still wanted to… _OH!"_

She cut off her story as the sight of the village became clear through the open gate. It was a terrible sight, several buildings reduced to nothing more than debris while others sat half-intact and half falling into the earth and others replaced entirely by a gaping hole filled with sand. Damaged areas were roped off, but despite the destruction, people seemed to be going about their daily routines. Colette's outburst drew attention to the group that had just entered. Someone called out " _the Chosen of Sylvarant is here,"_ while another yelled to _"tell Sheena and Chief Igaguri,_ " and yet another- a young girl- approached them with a big smile.

"Miss Colette!"

"Kumiko!" Colette exclaimed, offering a friendly wave. "It's good to see you again."

"Miss Colette, I'm practicing my calligraphy! Do you wanna see-?"

Colette broke in before the girl could get any further. She looked pained to have to do it, but both Kratos and Zelos knew that they didn't have the time to waste. "Kumiko, I _do_ want to see your calligraphy, but we need to talk to Sheena right now. How about you practice a little more in the meantime, and then when we're finished we can see your perfected piece."

Kumiko signaled a salute. "Yes, ma'am! I will!"

Kratos and Zelos watched the girl as she ran back toward one of the intact homes, and Zelos put his arm back over her shoulders.

"That's our lovely Miss Brunel for you! Good with kids in _and_ out of the classroom!"

"Z-Zelos, come on. This isn't the time or place for that sort of thing…" Colette looked away, but the blush on her cheeks betrayed her appreciation for the compliments. Her eyes focused on the large building toward the center of the village where the council generally met, and she made a beeline for it, dragging Zelos along with her. Kratos sighed, took one last glance around at the damage, and followed.

" _Colette! It's so good to see you! Oh, thank goodness you made it safely!_ "

By the time Kratos entered the house and slid the door closed behind him, Sheena was already greeting Colette with a hug. Colette returned the gesture and then stepped back so that they could speak face to face. "I'm glad to see you too, but what's going on? You and Lloyd never told me about the damage here in the village."

"I… haven't actually talked to Lloyd about it," Sheena admitted. "But, to be fair, Grandfather hasn't told me what this meeting is even going to be about. I've been helping with location scouting in Sylvarant recently, but if it were just about moving the village, there wouldn't be any need to consult outsiders-"

She took a step back and looked over, suddenly seeming to notice Kratos, and her enthusiastic expression wavered.

"Oh, ah, Kratos. It's good to see you too."

It wasn't disappointment, but there was _something_ in her voice that concerned Kratos. It seemed more like a hesitance, perhaps a twinge of fear. Not as though she was afraid of _him_ exactly, but something intangible that he represented or brought with him. He offered a friendly nod, and while he knew it wouldn't completely change her attitude, he held out his hand to shake anyway. "It's good to see you, Sheena. My apologies for the state of the village. I was unaware that Mizuho had been so adversely affected by the earthquakes."

"Well, we're trying not to, uh… _broadcast_ it," Sheena replied as she returned his handshake. "We've been discussing moving the village to Sylvarant for the past five years, but the council has been dragging their heels in sending informants out to find suitable land. I hate that it had to happen like this, but they're finally being pushed into action…"

"I see." Kratos turned to look toward the next room, the figures of Mizuho's council members hidden behind a paper screen that muffled their voices. Sheena motioned toward the group, leading the way over to the room and opening the door for them.

"Miss Colette Brunel, Mister Zelos Wilder, and Captain Kratos Aurion, as per your request," Sheena said, waiting until all three of them had entered and then closing the door behind them. She directed them to sit down with her near the end of the table, and Colette bowed in the council's direction.

"Thank you for welcoming us into your village and council meeting during this time of distress."

" _We_ are the ones who should be thanking _you_ ," Tiga replied. "After all, we were the ones who summoned you, and we have a grand favor to ask of you. This is not something to take lightly."

"A favor?" Kratos was the first to break in. "What kind of favor are you talking about? It would be one thing if you had summoned just the Chosens for public service, but I'm afraid that my militia's current contract with the Joint Parliament of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla is restrictive enough without bringing the demands of outside parties into it-"

"Please, calm down." Igaguri, sitting at the head of the table, held up one hand. "We understand the limitations of your contract. The reason we have included you in this meeting is simply to ensure that our requests of the Chosens does not interfere with your protocols."

There was a moment of silence. Kratos sat, tight-lipped, feeling the stares of all the council members. Finally, he heaved a sigh and bowed his head in agreement. "My sincerest apologies for assuming, Chief. You have clearly put a lot of thought and care into this, and I will be happy to assist you in tailoring your actions to fit the requirements of the Joint Parliament."

"G-Grandfather," Sheena began, "what is this about, that it would involve the Joint Parliament? The only actual _land_ they govern is the 7800 hectares laid out as the territory of the Great Tree. Is it… something to do with that?"

Zelos leaned over and elbowed her. "He wouldn't have called Kratos here if it didn't, y'know."

"Wha-? That's not-"

"The Chosen is correct," Tiga interrupted. "As you can see, our village has suffered greatly from the earthquakes over the past few months. We are trying to prevent further damage as best we can, but the situation is complicated."

"Do you know what's causing the sinkholes?" Colette asked.

"Yes, erm-" Tiga glanced over at a woman sitting further down the table from him. "-Yanaki could tell you in more detail."

The woman gave an obedient nod and turned her attention to the guests. "Our village is built on unconsolidated sediments weathered from the nearby mountains and deposited here in the valley. It is a good position for agriculture due to the soil composition and plentiful water resources, but unfortunately, the high water table also means that the sandy sediments below us are mostly inundated."

"I see," Kratos murmured, nodding along with the explanation. "Then the sinkholes have been created by liquefaction of the unconsolidated sediments triggered by the recent earthquakes."

"Yes, that seems to be the case."

There was a moment of silence amongst the group. Sheena was finally the first to speak, raising her hand a little as she did so.

"Could you, um…" Her cheeks flushed pink. "...put that in more _simple_ terms?"

Zelos barely stifled a laugh. "Sure, hunny. You see, the earthquake goes boom and then the ground turns to mush. It's really very simple."

"That doesn't explain anything, asshole-!"

"That's not funny, Zelos." Colette reached out and took Sheena's hand, squeezing it to keep her from pouncing on Zelos in front of the council. "Sheena, what they're trying to say is- you know how, when you dig a well, you find water underground at a certain point?"

"Yeah."

"That underground water fills up all the gaps in the sandy soil. Normally it's stable because the sand grains are all sitting on top of one another. But when the ground shakes because of an earthquake, the sand and water get all mixed together and the ground that used to be solid now acts like quicksand. That's why the land on top collapses and buildings fall in."

"I see," Sheena nodded and looked back over to Yanaki. "So what can we do about it?"

"Nothing about the sediment, I'm afraid," Yanaki replied. "It should grow more stable over time as the particles settle, but there's no telling how much damage will be done in the process. Besides that, the rainy season is beginning, meaning further destabilization of the mountainsides. We could very easily see a major landslide the next time there's an earthquake."

"Then are you…" Zelos began, his voice serious again. "...going to evacuate the people?"

"Not yet." Tiga was the one to answer, seeming not to notice that Igaguri had also opened his mouth to reply. "There is no need to move people unnecessarily, particularly when we do not have a suitable location set up for them to go. Instead, we have been discussing ideas for how to prevent future earthquakes from happening."

There was a pause. Kratos frowned, not breaking eye contact with Tiga. "And _how_ , exactly, do you propose that? The Palmacosta University and Imperial Research Academy have been working for months to determine the cause of the earthquakes and have still come back empty-handed."

"We do not know for a fact it will work," Igaguri said, breaking in this time before Tiga could. "In fact, it is a long shot. But with Sheena's skills, we cannot afford not to try."

"My… skills?"

Igaguri nodded. "Your summoning skills."

"I…" She paused and glanced around at the council members. "...I don't understand-"

"You think Sheena could use the summon spirits to stop the earthquakes?" Zelos asked. "Isn't it their job to keep watch over stuff like that anyway? If they haven't done anything about it already, what makes you think they'd be able to just because Sheena said so-?"

"I don't think they're talking about the summon spirits she already has pacts with," Kratos broke in. He looked over to Igaguri, locking eyes with the chief. "I think they're talking about Sheena making a _new_ pact. Is that correct?"

Igaguri nodded. "Yes, that is correct. If, as the reports say, a summon spirit resides in the Great Tree, then it is possible that Sheena can make a pact with it as well."

Colette gasped. "A pact with Martel?"

"Is that possible?" Zelos asked. "I mean, we call her a summon spirit, but is she really…?"

Igaguri replied with a nod. "By logic, 'she' should be. But we will not know until we try- until _Sheena_ tries."

All eyes went to Sheena, and her posture went stiff. Her eyes focused on the table in front of her, not willing to look at any of the council members. When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet and hesitant.

"...I understand your reasoning… Grandfather, everyone… but the last time that the council specifically asked me to make a pact with a summon spirit, I…

"Sheena," Colette began, reaching out and taking hold of her hand. She turned to address the council, her expression uncharacteristically firm. "If Sheena doesn't feel comfortable, you have no right to force her!"

"Colette's right," Zelos chimed in. "It's not fair to put this all on her shoulders-"

A few of the council members broke in with arguments, but Igaguri took his ceremonial mallet and banged it against the gong behind him. The whole room fell quiet, and all attention returned to the head of the table.

"Miss Brunel and Mister Wilder are correct," he said, his voice strained. "It is _not_ fair for us to place our problems on young Sheena's shoulders just because of her summoning ability. It is not now and it certainly wasn't when she was just a child. However-" He turned to look specifically at Sheena, Colette, and Zelos. "-she is no longer the inexperienced child that we forced into a horrible situation all those years ago. She is strong, having the protection of the summon spirits she has already made pacts with as well as the support of her friends. Miss Brunel, Mister Wilder, we know that, as outsiders, you may have no reason to help the village of Mizuho. But this could have a profound impact on the world as a whole. You fought alongside Sheena when she proved herself to the other summon spirits. Please, will you fight by her side again this time?"

Zelos and Colette looked at each other and then back over at Sheena. "If…" Colette began hesitantly, "...Sheena feels comfortable trying, then we'll support her. But we won't pressure her into it, and if she feels it isn't a good idea, we will support her-"

"Thank you, Colette," Sheena interrupted. "Grandfather is right. There were a lot of reasons I failed long ago, and none of those limitations affect me now. With my friends by my side, I see nothing to lose in approaching Martel and seeking a pact."

Kratos cleared his throat, drawing attention from the council. "I do not oppose the prospect of seeking guidance from the Spirit Martel, but it is possible that the sheer size of the NV Zone will prevent Sheena from making contact. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to make the Tree more accessible for you."

"I see," Igaguri replied. "That may complicate matters, but there is no use in letting a single setback prevent us from trying. Would you be willing to authorize entry for Sheena and her friends into the restricted area as soon as possible?"

Kratos closed his eyes, considering the request. "I… will have to seek a majority approval from the Joint Parliament in order to overrule the ban on magic use within the restricted area. They meet this afternoon in Altamira, so I won't be able to get you approval until tonight at the soonest, and I won't feel comfortable allowing you in after dark. But if all goes well, we can plan to meet at sunrise tomorrow morning at the Tree. Sheena and her friends will be allowed to use their magic, but they will still be required to keep at least one meter away from the boundary of the NV Zone at all times-"

"But Kratos," Colette protested, "Sheena has an exsphere."

There was a pause, all the members of the council turning to look at Colette. Sheena and Zelos, too, were confused by the statement, both looking at her and over at each other. Kratos, however, knew exactly what she meant and finally replied.

"I'm sorry, Colette, but I cannot allow such a dangerous breach of security based solely on anecdotal evidence. Exspheres or not, I will not permit you to enter the NV Zone."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!" Zelos stood up, waving his hands. "What is this about expheres and the NV Zone? Are you saying people can use them to enter the NV Zone unharmed?"

"Yes-" Colette began, but Kratos cut her off.

"It was a mistake made by unauthorized trespassers. We cannot officially recognize it due to safety concerns. Therefore, we cannot allow anyone, no matter the circumstances, to enter the NV Zone."

"But you said people _can_?" Sheena asked, leaning across the table toward Kratos. "And people _did_?"

"That's not-"

"I did." Colette stood up, just so that she could loop her arm around Zelos'. "And Genis did. And Genis lent his exsphere to Lloyd, allowing Lloyd to enter too. If Sheena equips her exsphere, she should have no trouble entering the NV Zone and approaching the Great Tree-"

" _Enough_!" Kratos snapped, sending Colette and Zelos back down to a seated position. Colette shrunk back, half hiding behind Zelos' shoulder, and he glared at Kratos.

"What's your deal, man? You don't gotta yell like that. If people can use exspheres to enter the NV Zone, it could open up new opportunities, not just for Sheena, but for all of us who're doing research on the Tree and the Zone itself. I know it'll take some extra testing to make sure it's safe, but being against the idea itself is some kind of stupid!"

Kratos scowled. " _I_ am responsible for the lives of both my soldiers and the people who enter the restricted area. I will _not_ be taking any unnecessary risks when people's lives are involved."

Zelos leaned across the table, motioned to the council members who were watching with polite attention. "Have you not _seen_ the state of this village? Lives are going to be impacted if we _don't_ do anything! The earthquakes are only going to get worse, and the NV Zone is going to keep growing. If you keep dragging your feet when a golden opportunity like this presents itself, how are you going to face the people who are directly hurt by The Great Tree? How will you face _this council_?"

Kratos turned his gaze to look over the eyes of Mizuho's council members. Many of them were old, their features outlined by deep-set wrinkles. A few, however, were young- almost as young as Sheena and Lloyd. Unlike the emotionless stares of their elders, they were wide-eyed. They looked almost… frightened.

"Captain," Igaguri began, "we understand your dedication to the safety and wellbeing of all in your care. But we ask you, please, would you allow Sheena entry into the NV Zone in order to seek a pact with the summon spirit of the Great Tree? For the safety of all those in Mizuho- and perhaps the united world?"

Kratos turned his attention down to the table, clenching a fist as he thought it over. "I… I…" He closed his eyes and sighed. "I will discuss it with the Joint Parliament. If they allow it, I will permit you to enter for a limited amount of time. Is that acceptable?"

Colette moved back from behind Zelos, skirting around the side of the table so that she could throw her arms around Kratos' chest. "Oh, _thank you, Kratos!_ We'll be careful, I promise!"

Sheena shifted uneasily, noticing the council members' discomfort with the sudden show of affection between the two outsiders. She looked over at her grandfather but was relieved to see him smiling.

"Nothing is decided yet. Remember that the Joint Parliament must approve it." Igaguri stood up. "Thank you, Captain Aurion, for your diligence and willingness to honor our request. We are indebted to you for your hard work and understanding. Please, come with me to my house so that we may discuss communication methods to keep those of us here in Mizuho updated on the decisions of the Joint Parliament."

Kratos stood up, nodding in agreement with a hint of eagerness at the prospect of getting out of the council meeting. "I will be glad to, Chief."

Tiga looked over at Sheena and her friends, motioning them towards the door. "You are dismissed, then, Sheena, Chosens. Feel free to rest and enjoy yourselves until we hear back from Captain Aurion."

" _Yes, sir!_ "

The three shuffled out of the room, glad to find themselves in fresh air. The tension of the argument had them all feeling a little off, and they needed time to dispel the sensation.

"...Chosens, huh?" Zelos grumbled to himself as they walked. "It was all _Chosen_ this and _Chosen_ that. Like, we HAVE names, y'know! For a people who're so obsessed with names, they sure haven't taken the time to learn ours!"

Colette patted his arm. "Well, Sheena's grandfather at least called us by our names. And when he didn't, he called us 'Sheena's friends' rather than Chosens."

"I guess you're right, but-" Zelos stopped mid-sentence and turned around, grabbing Colette by the shoulders. "Hold on a minute! What the hell was this about you entering the Zone of Death?!"

"Huh?" It took Colette a moment to process what he was asking. "Oh, yeah, that was this morning." She closed her eyes and offered a sheepish smile. "It was kind of an accident, but I'm glad it worked out the way it did-"

"And when were you going to _tell_ me about this?!"

"I was telling you earlier. Remember the story we were discussing when we walked in? I just got sidetracked by the state of the village, is all."

They stopped, the implication of her statement sinking in. Zelos glanced around at the buildings again, but Sheena was looking at the ground by her feet. "I…" she began, "...I'm sorry you guys had to see our village this way. We've been trying to keep things quiet since revealing too much about the earthquakes' effects could give away our location to outsiders. The reason I haven't said anything to Lloyd is that I knew he would get upset and try to help, and that's the last thing he needs to be doing while he's recovering."

"He did get a clean bill of health from the doctor yesterday," Colette replied, taking a step towards her. "He wanted to come to Mizuho with us, but he got in trouble at the Great Tree and had to go back to Luin."

The statement brought Sheena's attention back up to her friends. "What did he get in trouble for?"

"Entering the restricted zone without permission. We all did- Genis and me too."

Zelos stifled a laugh. "Oh my gods, goody-two-shoes Genis, breaking _joint authority law_?"

"W-well, to be fair, I was the one who suggested it."

Sheena jumped back with a gasped " _Colette!_ " but Zelos broke into a big grin and tackled Colette in a hug.

"Aw, I can hardly believe it! My precious Colette, a rebel! And here I thought you couldn't possibly get any cuter than you already were-"

Colette was hesitant to hug back. "I, uh, can't tell if you're serious or you're just making fun of me."

Zelos' smile faded, and he took a step back to give her some room. "Sorry, sorry. _Cute_ wasn't the right word, I guess. I just wanted to say I was impressed with you, is all. For that and for standing up to Kratos earlier. If it weren't for you, he wouldn't have even _mentioned_ the whole exsphere thing, much less allowed us access for Sheena's summoning attempt. I've been working with Kratos over the past couple of months, and he's been…" He paused to find the right word. "...kind of an asshole recently. It was really satisfying to see the big tough guy back down to a sweetheart like you."

Colette smiled again, but this time it was a soft, sad smile. She clasped her hands against her chest as she spoke, glancing back toward the chief's house where Igaguri and Kratos had retreated. "I think he's struggling with figuring out how to express his grief. I had trouble sleeping last night, so Dirk made me some tea and we talked, just the two of us. He said that Kratos was being especially strict with Lloyd lately, and he assumed it must be because he feels a sense of guilt for losing Yuan and… and Adora."

It was Sheena's turn to offer a hug, and this time Colette happily accepted as she continued.

"Kratos was _really_ upset with us. He was willing to injure himself to drag Lloyd out of the NV Zone, so I'm not surprised that he was so adamant about keeping us out. It's all my fault for going in there in the first place… I'm so sorry, Sheena…"

"What are you sorry for? If you hadn't gone in there in the first place, then you'd never have learned about using exspheres to enter the NV Zone! It's _because_ of you that I have a chance to speak with Martel in the first place!"

Zelos inched closer, nudging Colette's arm. "How _did_ you discover that the exspheres could protect you from the Zone of Death?"

Colette let go of Sheena and moved back so that she could address both of them. "Oh, well, uh… it was kind of obvious that something was going on when I fell in and didn't die…"

" _YOU WHAT?!_ "

The sound of both voices yelling in unison caused Colette to jump, but she quickly recovered and twirled around, pointing toward one of the village houses.

"I promised Kumiko that I'd go look at her calligraphy, so I'd better get going-"

" _Colette!_ "

* * *

The university city of Sybak was unusually quiet now that spring break had started in earnest and many students were away visiting family or vacationing with friends. The open streets allowed a clear view of the Imperial Research Academy's buildings, and for a child who'd grown up in Sylvarant, it was almost too much to take in.

"Nika, look at that! I wonder what those machines do! Oh, and there's a windmill on top of that building- do you think it helps power the school? What about that fountain? And look at the columns by the door! They're even bigger than the columns at Mister Zelos' house-"

"Bianca, _please_ , watch where you're going!" Nika wanted to enjoy the city too- and she _was_ \- but watching passersby have to swerve to miss the little girl in the middle of the road was embarrassing. "And say 'excuse me' when you pass someone. This isn't a playground."

"I know, I know!"

Bianca glanced back as she replied, not even bothering to slow down. By the time she turned around and realized what was in front of her, she was already halfway down the first step.

" _WHOA!_ "

Bianca threw her arms out in front of her, dreading the feeling of the concrete against her bare skin. But instead, she found herself caught in a pair of strong arms. At first she thought it might be her sister- but no, Nika was too far behind her to have caught her from the front. She looked up, however, and a blurry vision of pink hair made her question her conclusion. It was only for a moment, though, as the girl's sharp features came into focus. She looked about Nika's age, but was a little shorter and leaner, with piercing blue eyes that were kind and yet somehow distant at the same time.

"Are you alright?" the girl asked.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine! You totally saved me- thanks, miss!"

Bianca's response brought a smile to the girl's face, and she bent down to place Bianca back on her feet. "You are welcome. It would be prudent of you to remain aware of your surroundings from now on."

"Prudent! I know that word! It means being sensible and using good judgment-"

" _Oh my goodness, I am so sorry about my sister!_ "

Nika broke in before Bianca could finish recounting her vocabulary lesson. The girl looked up to see her at the top of the stairs, and a spark of surprise seemed to glow in her eyes for a split second before her smile returned and she responded.

"Don't worry. It was no trouble. She was merely having fun." The girl reached over and patted Bianca on the head. "In fact, she reminds me of my own younger sister at that age, in a constant state of excitement and awe at the world around her. I am happy to have prevented her injury-"

"You have a little sister too? That's so cool!" Bianca clung to the girl, her eyes sparkling in excitement. "What's her name? How old is she? Do you think we could be friends?"

Nika reached out with a hissed " _calm down-_ " but the girl knelt down beside Bianca and patted her head.

"Her name was Alicia. And yes, while she passed away years ago, I think she would have _loved_ to be your friend."

The answer subdued Bianca's enthusiasm, and she blushed, looking down at her feet as she answered.

"I'm sorry about your dead sister."

Nika cringed and prepared to apologize, but to her surprise, the girl burst out laughing.

"It is alright. And what about you, little sister? What is _your_ name?"

"I-I'm Bianca!"

The girl stopped laughing, her eyes suddenly lighting up in recognition. She stood up straight again, repeating the name and then drawing her gaze upward. "Bianca… and Nika? Wilbur?"

Nika's face went pale.

"How do you know our names?"


	48. Chapter 48

As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 95:**  
 _Chan ann leis a'chiad bhuille thuiteas a'chraobh._  
It is not with the first stroke that the tree falls.

 **48-**

"Bianca… and Nika? Wilbur?"

Nika's face went pale. "How do you know our names?"

There was a pause, and the girl laughed again. "My apologies if I scared you. I understand that we have not met, but I'm surprised that I did not recognize you sooner. Genis writes incessantly of you in his correspondences, so much so that I feel as if we are already intimately acquainted."

Hearing a familiar name allowed Nika to breathe a sigh of relief. "Genis? Then you're…?"

The girl extended a hand to shake. "Presea Combatir. I am an old friend of Genis and Raine."

" _P-Presea_?!" Nika's voice cracked as she practically squealed the name, her eyes lighting up in delight. "Ohmigosh, this is amazing! _You're_ amazing! You- oh wow, the things Genis has told me about you… I-I'm so honored to finally meet you…" She reached out hesitantly, her hand trembling as she accepted the handshake. Presea's amused smile only widened as she watched.

"I am certain Genis has exaggerated my accomplishments, as he has a tendency to do. I'm no more amazing than anyone else here. But, of course, the two of you set the bar high if Genis' letters are to be believed. Or- would you say he exaggerates your accolades as well?"

Nika blushed and pulled her hand away. "Oh, er, I suppose he must have, but…"

"What's an _accolade_?" Bianca interrupted, her hand shooting up as she spoke.

"It is an award or acknowledgement of an accomplishment. Accolades are something one receives when they have achieved great things and are recognized for it by others," Presea replied. "You, Bianca Wilbur, have received high honors in all the classes you have attended at the Palmacosta Academy, is this correct? That is an accolade that can be quantified based on your academic performance. However, Genis also says that you are a genuinely a kind and honorable person, and strive to do the right thing in every situation. That is a qualitative accolade which can only be given by someone who is deeply familiar with you and your behavior."

Bianca's eyes were wide, and she was smiling from ear to ear. "Does Genis really say that about me? That I'm kind and honorable?"

"Quite often." Presea glanced up at Nika as though analyzing her features. "Your sister too. But I was unsure how biased his opinions might be. I wanted to meet you someday to see for myself. I'm pleased to say that so far you live up to his grandiose descriptions."

Nika blushed, starting to stammer out " _y-you've just met us-"_ but her sister's voice overtook hers.

"I'm so glad!" Bianca grinned. "Genis says a good scientist always looks for support before believing a claim-"

The bell tower began to ring, chiming a simple melody before giving way to ten rhythmic peals. Nika gasped as she listened.

"Ten o'clock! We're late! Genis is going to be worried... Presea, do you know where the Center for Mana and Magitechnology Studies is?"

"I do, in fact." Presea looked over at one of the nearby buildings and pointed. "I am going in that direction myself. Allow me to lead the way."

"Oh, thank you!"

* * *

"What the… how did _this_ group find their way together?!"

Genis had been discussing some of his recent lab work with Professor Low when Presea arrived with Nika and Bianca in tow. He nearly fell over at the sight of them- particularly of Presea, who he hadn't expected at all.

"And what are _you_ doing here anyway?! Don't you work for Lezareno?"

Presea tilted her head to the side, offering Genis a puzzled expression. "You speak as though you are not happy to see me."

"I-I-! That's not-!" Genis stiffened and scrambled to regroup. "I'm just surprised, is all! It's a happy surprise, but, uh…"

"I'm sorry, I should've told you sooner," Professor Low spoke up as Genis' voice trailed off. "Miss Combatir is my dendrology correspondent from the Lezareno Company's lumber resource division. I've been sending her photographs of the tree as well as some of the leaf samples we managed to get from the edges of the NV Zone."

"Huh? So the consultant you were going to meet with is…?"

Presea gave a little wave in response, and Bianca hugged her waist with an excited smile.

"Wow! Genis told us you were strong, but he didn't tell us you were a scientist too!"

Presea patted Bianca on the head. "I'm not sure I would say 'scientist.' I am not a researcher like Genis; instead, my job is to supervise logging activity within the Lezareno Company and manage sustainability efforts that maximize productivity. My knowledge of tree biology is more of a hobby."

"Anyone who studies the world around us is a scientist! That's what big-sis Raine says!"

The statement elicited a smile from Presea. "Then I suppose I am, indeed, a scientist."

Genis shot her a wry look that said ' _yeah, right_ ' with just a hint of sarcasm, and Presea's aloof expression clearly boasted ' _and what are you going to do about it?_ ' Without an answer to that retort, Genis could only sigh and speak up again to Professor Low.

"I can show Nika and Bianca around, then, while you speak with Presea-"

"I wanna stay and hear!" Bianca interrupted before Genis could finish. "If it's about the Tree, it's important to everybody! Please, can we hear what big-sis Presea has to say?"

Presea placed a hand against her chest, murmuring the words " _big-sis_ " to herself with affectionate satisfaction. Genis couldn't help but smile, his gut instinct telling him that both Presea and Bianca might be better off sticking together. But Professor Low asked the question that Genis was still worried about.

"I'm afraid that Presea may be required by the Lezareno Company to keep her consultation confidential. If that's the case, we can't make exceptions, even for good friends."

Nika and Bianca both looked over at Presea. There was a tense pause, but Presea managed to dispel it as soon as she spoke.

"Do not worry about me. Lezareno has an open policy about these sorts of things. Unless the university has a confidentiality policy that would supersede Lezareno's, I see no reason why these two could not join in on the conversation." She glanced down at Bianca, who was staring up at her, starry-eyed. "Perhaps they will even contribute innovative ideas to the discussion."

Professor Low sighed, though Genis couldn't tell if it was done in exasperation or relief. "Well then, I guess we should all sit down where we can talk to one another more easily. Do you have the photographs I sent you?"

"Yes." Presea pulled her bag down off her shoulder and placed it on the table so that she could retrieve a bunch of laminated photographic prints. Bianca stood on the tips of her toes to get a better view, and Genis pointed over towards the chairs in the corner.

"Let's sit down so that we can all look at the pictures, okay?"

The photos had been taken shortly after the establishment of the restricted area around the Great Tree, but the Tree itself had changed very little in the months since then. With the exception of the expanded NV Zone, the Tree in the photos was the same as Genis had seen it that morning. Presea was pointing to the photo as she explained, holding it so that Bianca and Nika could see too.

"I considered several potential explanations, as I did not want to jump to conclusions, but upon visiting the Tree to get a more nuanced view… there's no mistaking it. Any good lumberjack could identify this as a burl, easily."

Bianca raised her hand. "What's a burl?"

"It's a large growth on a tree trunk or roots," Professor Low replied. "When a tree gets stressed due to an injury or illness, it reinforces the area with an outgrowth that protrudes from the tree."

Nika gasped. "Trees can get stressed?"

"Trees are far more complex than we give them credit for," Presea replied with a nod. "Burls come in many shapes and forms. We keep careful track of them on Lezareno forestry land because they are particularly susceptible to poaching."

"Poaching?" Bianca repeated.

"Theft- particularly of a living organism." Presea put the photographs down on the low table to free up her hands. As she continued, she motioned to explain the patterns and actions of carving. "Burls are especially prized for their intricately-patterned wood grain. Objects carved from burl wood sell for very high prices, and because they are rare, people search all over to find them. Poachers sometimes cut down a whole tree, but often they saw off just the burl itself. This leaves the tree susceptible to diseases and pests that result in a slow and painful death."

Nika clasped at the hem of her dress. "You don't think someone would try to harm the Great Tree like that, so you?"

"Well, it's not like anyone will have the chance," Professor Low answered, "considering no one can even get close to it."

"Oh, right. The NV Zone."

Genis said nothing, staring at his knees rather than looking at any of the others.

"That saving grace also complicates things for us, unfortunately." Presea was the first to speak up again, producing another item from her bag and setting it out on the table. It was a metal tube, not even a centimeter in diameter, with handles at the end that formed a T-shape. "To understand more clearly what is going on with the Tree, I considered proposing the collection of an increment core."

Professor Low crossed her arms. "Even if we _could_ access the Great Tree, it's unlikely that the Joint Parliament would approve of any kind of drilling into the trunk."

"Drilling?" Nika repeated with a gasp. "Then that thing is-"

"This is an increment borer." Presea picked up the tool and held it for Nika to see. "This one is not loaded with a tray at the moment, but when a tray is loaded into the main tube, the auger bit on the end here will drill into the tree's trunk and extract a thin piece of the tree for microscopy examination. This allows us to examine the tree's growth rings without cutting the tree down."

"D-Doesn't that hurt the tree?" Bianca gasped.

Presea was silent for a moment. "...I suppose it does as much as a human is hurt by having their blood drawn. Yes, complications are possible, especially if the needle is not sterilized properly or handled correctly, or if the wound is not promptly tended to in order to prevent infection. But a healthy individual, tended to by an experienced doctor with proper equipment, will suffer no ill effects from the procedure." She held up the borer again, tapping against the side with her fingernail. "Some researchers fill the holes with beeswax after coring, but most of the time the tree will fill the hole with sap and heal on its own."

"Miss Combatir," Professor Low interrupted, "while this lesson on tree research is fascinating, I want to go back to your analysis on the burl. If you believe that really is the reason for the Tree's altered appearance, then is it fair to say you agree with the hypothesis that the NV Zone is some form of defense mechanism?"

"I do not feel confident to fully agree or disagree with anything at the moment. But in my personal opinion, considering that the burl and NV Zone appeared at the same time, I do believe it's likely they are both part of the Tree's natural reaction to external stressors."

Professor Low sat back, closing her eyes as she thought it over. "Then, even if we _could_ approach the Tree to perform a core extraction, it is possible that the Tree would view the borer as a threat and deploy further defense mechanisms?"

"Potentially, yes. It is perhaps a good thing that we cannot access the tree, as the temptation to take that risk might become too great."

There was a long moment of silence as the group considered the information. Professor Low still had her eyes closed, lost in her own thoughts. Bianca leaned over to get a better look at the photographs, and Presea moved so that she could show them off. Nika, however, was preoccupied with Genis' uncharacteristic silence.

"Hey, uh, Genis…?" she began, trying not to break the silence too abruptly. "What's on your mind? You've been so quiet."

"Huh?" Genis looked up. "Oh, um, it's not… er, I was just thinking about when I went to look at the Tree this morning."

That statement drew Professor Low's attention. "This morning? I wasn't aware that you'd scheduled a monitoring session."

"No, I hadn't. It was just an informal visit with Lloyd and Colette."

"Lloyd is feeling better?" Presea asked. "Last I had heard, he was still recovering from the injuries he received during the Reunion Day celebration."

"Yeah, he just got a clean bill of health from the doctor, so going to see the Tree was the first thing he wanted to do."

"Good for him. I was worried when I heard what happened, but I was certain that such an injury could never dampen his usual enthusiasm-"

As Presea spoke, there was a knock on the door. She stopped and turned around to look, prompting everyone else to do so as well. A woman's face peeked in through the crack in the door.

"Excuse me. I apologize for the interruption, but we've just had a message wired in from the Palmacosta University. The Dean of Students office needs to speak with Genis Sage immediately."

Genis felt his whole body go stiff. _So soon_? He hadn't even gotten the chance to show Nika and Bianca around! Presea noticed his body language and covered her mouth with a feigned look of surprise.

"Oh my. Is our good little Genis in trouble for something?"

"No way!" Bianca answered before Genis could. "He doesn't get in trouble! It's probably a- what was that word you used earlier? _Accord_ … _accold…_ "

"Accolade," Nika corrected. "And yes, I agree. Genis is more likely to be recognized for good behavior than he is to be punished for anything."

"Y-you guys…" Genis felt his cheeks go red. "...actually, Presea's right. I'm in trouble."

"In trouble for _what_?" Professor Low asked.

"I… well…"

"No. Scratch that." Low stood up, putting the photographs she was holding back down onto the table. "I'm going with you. Whatever accusations they have against you, I should be able to hear too. The mana stability experiments that you and Raine are doing at the Palmacosta University are vital to our developing understanding of how the NV Zone works. If they have a problem with what you're doing, then I'll just have to have a little _talk_ with them."

As she said this, she was already standing and on her way toward the door. Genis scrambled to his feet to follow after her. "P-Professor, wait! That's not-"

"Miss Combatir, if you would just leave the photos and your report on my desk, it would be much appreciated," Low interrupted as she paused by the door. "And would you be willing to show the Wilburs around the building in the meantime?"

"I do not know my way around well, but I can take them to the cafeteria for brunch. My food expenditure here is on Lezareno's dime, so I will treat them."

"Splendid. We'll meet you there. Come on, Genis."

Genis scrambled out the door after her, having to dodge a few passersby as he stumbled down the hallway.

"P-Professor, wait! Listen to me!" he called out. "I know what you're thinking, but…"

He managed to catch up with her enough to grab hold of her wrist. She jerked to a stop and then looked back at him with impatient expectance. He heaved a sigh and then continued.

"...I… really messed up. I did something I shouldn't have, and they're right to be angry with me for it. This isn't a situation where you can just wave around money and connections and make the consequences go away."

Low paused, taking in the statement for a moment. She then reached up and tilted Genis' chin down so that he was staring directly at her face.

"Genis, look at me," she commanded, a little redundantly considering she was still holding onto his chin. "I'm not going to bribe anyone or threaten to get anyone fired. But I also can't let them make your crime out to be worse than it is. Prejudices against half-elves may have been taken out of the lawbooks, but they're still very much alive in the hearts of some people, especially those in high places. That's why I can't let you face this alone. Will you at least let me be your advocate?"

Her response surprised Genis. He was expecting her to talk about how money and connections had never failed her before, or something like that. This was… different. He hadn't done much work with her over the past few months since Raine had cut off contact and Zelos took over as Low's temporary research partner. It was a pleasant surprise- or would've been, if the situation hadn't been so grave.

"I… can't tell you how much I appreciate that," Genis finally responded. "But I don't know if you'd be so eager to advocate for me if you knew what I did. I lied about having a research permit and misrepresented the school in order to trespass on restricted property. I illegally crossed into not only the restricted area, but the NV Zone as well, all under the pretense of doing research that wasn't even approved by the-"

" _Genis_."

Professor Low's voice cut him off, her tone suddenly turning dark. He cringed as he waited for a scolding about the honor of the scientific community and how misrepresentation could cause another crisis like the one in Meltokio. But that wasn't it.

"You mean to tell me…" she continued, her eyes locked onto his, "...that you _entered_ the NV Zone?"

* * *

After a quick lunch and a not-so-quick visit between Lloyd and his old coworkers, the Luin group set out for the former glass-blowing studio on the hillside. Lloyd led the way through the front door, down the hall, and along the spiral staircase that led into the cavern basement below. Dirk lit some lanterns and both Anna and Lloyd were happy to take one.

"This is a good place tae start, I 'hink." Dirk was holding his light up, examining the walls toward the far end of the cavern where a few stalactites were clustered on the ceiling. "What's daen this path, Lloyd?"

"That one? I'm not actually sure." Lloyd approached his father and held up his own lantern to better light the small corridor. "I haven't been down it yet, since I don't know where or how far it goes. It may just be the natural continuation of the cavern they used to make the basement. I can hear running water somewhere further down."

Dirk didn't reply at first, starting down the dark path. He stayed close to the cave wall on his right, running his hand along it. Lloyd thought perhaps he was just trying to keep his balance on the slick floor, but he suddenly stopped and turned toward the wall, squinting to get a better view of something that was engraved on it.

"Lloyd, Anna, come look at thes."

The two followed his voice over to where he was standing with his hand on the wall. Lloyd leaned down, squinting at the symbols. "Oh yeah… I think I noticed these before. I wasn't sure what they said or why they were put here. They're so worn, it's hard to make them out, but it's not any kind of writing I've ever seen-"

"Descend ten vertical meters daen th' path, follow th' stream bed fer a kilometer; where th' stream splits in twa, take th' north path upstream tae… _"_ Dirk's voice had been so sure when he'd first interrupted Lloyd, but his words trailed off as he reached the end of the passage. Anna pressed closer, leaning on his shoulder.

"You can read these, Dirk?"

"Aye. They're Dwarven symbols, used tae gie directions when movin' through cave passages. But thes yin here _…_ "

"Where does it go?" Lloyd asked. "Dad? What does it say?"

"Thes symbol is fer a Dwarven village _,_ " Dirk finally replied. "I donnae believe it. A Dwarven village sae close tae th' surface?"

"Oh!" Anna stepped back and raised her hand in realization. "It must be a trading outpost! Dwarves used to come to the surface in Luin to trade with humans. The village is probably left over from that era."

Lloyd moved down the path, shining his lantern into the darkness. "If that's the case, then this basement must've originally been a meeting place for humans and Dwarves. After the Dwarves left, they converted the top floor to, uh, whatever was here five years ago. And then the glassblowing studio got built where _that_ building used to be, and now…"

"Now it's back in Dwarven hands," Anna finished. "Oh, it's perfect! We should go find the Dwarven village. Tell them that Cruxis isn't enslaving Dwarves anymore, and it's safe to come and trade with humans again. We speak Dwarven, so they'll know we're friendly. And we have a Dwarf with us, so-"

"Nae."

Anna and Lloyd both turned to look at Dirk, their excited expressions disappearing.

"...what?"

"What's wrong, Dad? You think it's dangerous."

"Nae, it's nae 'at." Dirk shook his head and turned his back to them. "I jist… I'm nae sure I want tae."


	49. Chapter 49

As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 33:**  
 _Is minig a thainig comhairle ghlic a ceann amadain._  
Often wise counsel comes from a fool's head.

 **49-**

Professor Low's hand slammed onto the desk, rattling the pens and nearly knocking over the stack of papers.

"How many brilliant scientists were burned at the stake during Tethe'alla's declining periods just because of legal spats? Are you telling me you're siding with those who would persecute someone who's merely trying to obtain knowledge-?!"

Genis couldn't even watch, having long since covered his eyes. "Professor…" he muttered, knowing she couldn't hear him, "...getting expelled from university is nowhere even _close_ to getting burned alive…"

"Professor, please." The man at the desk began rearranging his papers, making sure they were all in order. "I mentioned expulsion only to show how serious the offense is. If he had been charged with a crime of this nature, the university system would have no choice. However, the captain made it clear that they would _not_ be pressing charges. Therefore, we believe that academic suspension for the remainder of the semester would be a more fitting punishment, considering that Mister Sage has no previous disciplinary offenses."

"But pulling him from his work? That's absurd!" Professor Low didn't move, still keeping her palm against the desk.

"My colleague at the Palmacosta University did suggest a _partial_ suspension, due to the nature of Mister Sage's research. He would be removed from his classes for the semester but would be allowed to continue research under Professor Sage provided he remains in good standing with her and the department."

"My classes…" Genis finally spoke up, having uncovered his face and stepped forward to join the conversation. "...will I be failed or just withdrawn?"

"Withdrawn with no credit awarded- though, looking at your transcript, even failing all your current classes would not affect your GPA enough to hurt you."

"Of course it would hurt him!" Professor Low corrected. "Instead of graduating _summa cum laude_ , he'd end up graduating _cum laude_!"

Genis rolled his eyes. "Oh, _how_ would I be able to _live_ with myself?"

"Are you really okay with this, though?" Professor Low's voice had turned serious again. "You wouldn't be able to graduate in two months as you'd planned."

"I think it's a lenient punishment, considering the seriousness of what I did. If the university system is willing to grant me partial suspension instead of full, I'll happily accept it. After all, being able to continue my research means that Raine won't be punished for my actions too."

The man nodded, pulling out another stack of forms and beginning to fill them out. "I will contact the Palmacosta University and let them know that you agree upon the partial suspension. They will perform the class withdrawals. I hope you will learn from this experience, Mister Sage. You are too valuable a student for us to lose to misconduct."

"Yes, sir! Thank you for saying so, sir!" Genis bowed before making a beeline back toward the hall. Professor Low was slower in following, but she finally joined him outside the office and closed the door behind her.

"I can't _believe_ them! Academic suspension! After you made such an important breakthrough-?!"

"Professor," Genis spoke calmly, placing a hand against her arm, "I don't want them to give me special treatment, and they already kinda are. Besides, I'm way younger than the others I'd be graduating with in May. More time to spend working on research and being with my sister will be… nice."

Professor Low's expression softened, and she examined him for a long, silent moment.

"Then why do you look like you're about to cry?"

Genis stiffened and turned his back to her. "Th-that's not true! I'm just sorry I interrupted your meeting and messed up Bianca's tour, is all!"

"Genis…" Low approached him and reached up to place her hand on his shoulder. "You're a good kid, Genis. They recognize that too. All you want is to help people. So don't beat yourself up over the occasional mistake, alright?"

"But it wasn't a mistake… I did it intentionally… I lied, lied _elaborately_ , even… and for what? For the sake of my dear friend Colette, who would've _died_ if her Cruxis Crystal hadn't protected her? By helping my friends trespass, I… I almost… I almost killed Colette…"

There. All the questioning had finally cut through to the root of his emotions. He felt Low's hand pull away from his shoulder, but he didn't turn around to look at her. He just stayed where he was, listening for her voice. It took a while, but she finally broke through his suppressed sobs with a question.

"You love Colette very much, don't you?"

"Yes."

"How do you think she would feel, seeing you blaming yourself for something that didn't happen?"

Genis spun around on his heels. "What would you know about how other people feel?"

"Nothing." Her firm expression didn't change. "That's why I'm asking you, a person who _does_ seem to be able to tell what others are thinking. What would your friend think of your pain? Would she also be angry with you for endangering her life? If so, then your feelings are justified and you probably won't feel better until you apologize to her and do something to make it up to her. But if she doesn't feel that way, then what you're feeling is pointless and only hurts you."

Genis wiped his eyes. "Funny, you sound a lot like Raine when you talk like that."

"Do I?" Her voice was hushed, a hint of pain in her eyes. Genis realized he needed to tread lightly with his answer, not wanting to get her hopes up.

"What I mean is, you sound like an older sister. Like Raine or Nika."

"I… see." It looked like the answer had disappointed her, but Genis figured that was probably for the best. He spoke up again before she could get carried away in self-pity.

"And besides being sisterly advice, it was _good_ advice. You're right that Colette wouldn't be angry with me over this. I think, instead, she'd want me to keep doing my research so that no one else is ever endangered by the NV Zone. If I can protect others, that's what would make her the happiest. So that's what I'll do."

Low smiled. "Well, now I look kind of self-serving, like I was just trying to get you to focus on your research the whole time."

"No, I wouldn't give you that much credit," Genis said this and then paused, realizing how harsh it'd come across. "But, uh, are you… actually trying to think more about other people's feelings?"

" _Trying_ is the right word, yes." Professor Low started walking down the hallway, motioning for Genis to follow. He did so, staying in line beside her so that he could keep eye contact while she spoke. "It's not easy. People aren't like machines that work in logical ways. Their emotions are strange, sometimes even cryptic. I've started with my parents and moved onto my coworkers, like Zelos-"

"Oh, you _don't_ want to get into Zelos' head. Trust me."

Low stopped, a confused frown passing across her face. "He speaks highly of you, Genis. And yet you don't…"

"Hey! You could tell just from that one comment that I don't like him! That's a good start!" Genis moved around so that he was standing in front of her. "Let's get back to the others and you can watch the way they interact. I'm kinda curious to see how Presea has been getting along with those two. Okay?"

Low nodded, and the two continued silently back to the cafeteria. It was much emptier than usual, but still had a fair number of student milling about and occupying tables, so it took them a few minutes to survey the floor and pick out their friends' table. Presea was the first to see them, and she waved.

"That took twenty-seven percent longer than I had expected. Was there an unforeseen problem?"

"N-no, everything's fine!" Genis replied. "Sorry to make you wait."

The girls' plates were empty, save for a few last traces of whipped cream on Bianca's. She smiled up at him with a big, toothy grin.

"Sorry, Genis! I was gonna save some of my crepes for you, but I ended up eating it all."

"That's okay. I'm not that hungry anyway." Genis waved his hands. "I'm just glad you enjoyed it. Are you full and ready for that tour now?"

"Am I ever!" Bianca hopped to her feet, almost knocking over her chair in the process. "I made a list of all the places I wanted to see- the library, the dormitories, the biology labs, the-"

"Slow down there, Bianca." Nika reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We need to take our plates back to the kitchen, and-"

"I will take care of those for you. Worry only about your tour with Genis."

Nika's eyes lit up. "Presea, are you sure? You paid for it and everything-"

Presea held up a badge with an insignia and ID number on it. " _Lezareno Company_ paid for it. And besides, Genis seems to be in low spirits. It would make him happy to spend time with you."

"Low spirits?" Nika turned around in her chair and stood up. "What happened? You're not really in trouble, are you?"

"Wha-? N-no, Presea's mistaken!" Genis gave a nervous laugh. "I just, uh, got off with a warning is all. And hey! I actually get to take the rest of the semester to focus on research with Raine! No classes to worry about! Isn't that great? Now I can pick Bianca up from school so she doesn't have to walk alone!"

Nika examined his face for a moment and then moved to hug him. "I-I have no idea what happened, but to think that you got scolded and kicked out of your classes… and all you can talk about is taking care of Bianca."

"Genis got kicked out of his classes?!"

"B-Bianca, no, it's not like that!" Genis pulled away a little. "See, my friends and I were able to find a way for people to safely enter the NV Zone. So they want me focusing just on helping Raine with research for right now."

"You did?! That's amazing! Can I go to the NV Zone, then?"

"What? No, you can't. It's still dangerous."

Nika started to giggle, her arms still around Genis' waist. "So that's why you couldn't talk about it- it was research stuff. But then you're not in trouble, you're a hero! I'm so relieved!"

She leaned in to kiss his cheek, and Genis's face went red. "H...hero… that's not… uh…"

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Presea carrying the plates and silverware away. She was staring at the two of them with a teasing smile, and it only intensified his blush.

 _Don't you say a word!_

Nika pulled away from Genis' cheek and moved her arms to clasp his hands and give them a squeeze. "Let me go get my bag, and we can go on our tour, okay?"

"Y-yeah! Right! Sure!"

As Genis watched Nika and Bianca gather their things, Professor Low approached him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"I'm heading back to my office to discuss Presea's report with her. But am I right to assume that Presea is getting along well with the Wilburs?"

Genis looked over toward the kitchen and then back at Low with a sigh.

"A little too well."

* * *

"But Dad!" Lloyd protested. "It's been so long since you've seen another Dwarf! Doesn't the idea of finding a whole village make you excited?"

"If anythin', th' idea jist makes me nervous."

"Nervous?" Anna repeated. "To see your own people?"

"Dwarves arenae a cultural monolith, Anna. Nae all clans are friendly tae one anither. An' e'en if this village is inhabited by my clan ay their allies, they micht nae recognize me as a fellow Dwarf in this state."

Lloyd frowned. "This state?" he asked. "What do you mean? You seem fine to me."

"Aye, fine enough with my skin tanned and my eyesight startin' tae fail frae sun exposure. Cataracts, premature agin' ay the skin, physical effects ay insomnia and other sleep disturbances- these're all th' marks ay a Dwarf who's been livin' on th' surface tay long. They'll tak' jist one look a' me and know exactly where my home is."

"Dad, if you…" Lloyd stammered, his voice cracking a little. "...if you're that sick, why haven't you said something before? Why have you stayed on the surface?"

Dirk paused a moment before letting out a frustrated sigh. "It's nae like 'at. I was jist caught up in my ain insecurities fer a minute. I'm doin' fine- a bit ay blurry vision here an' there, an' certainly a nice tan tae show off, bit I'm nae gonnae keel o'er an' die on ye anytime soon. Nae in yer lifetime, certainly. It's jist…"

"You're scared of what Dwarves will think of you, living on the surface," Anna finished.

"I came tae th' surface abit a hundred-an'-thirty years ago. At th' time, it was considered taboo tae e'en visit th' surface, much less set up home there. After more'n a century ay life aboveground, I might as well be a human or elf as far as 'ey're concerned."

There was a moment of silence. Anna put her lantern down on the floor of the cave and moved to place her hands on Dirk's shoulders.

"What does it matter how long you've lived on the surface? You're a Dwarf and always will be. Lloyd and I… we get all excited over just having a great-great-great-something Dwarven grandmother. If we're bold enough to think that these Dwarves will accept a couple of humans strolling into their town speaking broken Dwarven, you _have_ to be confident that they'll recognize you as one of their own."

Lloyd had put his lantern down beside hers, standing beside them with his arms outstretched as though he were asking permission to join the circle. "Mom's right," he agreed, "have faith in yourself. No matter how long you've been on the surface, you still had hundreds of years of experience living with Dwarves- there's no way they'd shun you."

Dirk's uneasy expression finally faded into a smile as he laughed at Lloyd's statement. "Jist how auld d'ye 'hink I am, lad?"

"I-I don't know, like, five hundred or something?" Lloyd lowered his arms. "Dwarves can live to be a thousand, right?"

"Aye, bit rarely. It's more common 'at dwarves bide tae about eicht hundred, eicht hundred an' fifty years _._ "

"So it's kinda like…" Anna stepped back and started to count on her fingers. "...ten human years equal one Dwarf year."

"Nae, 'at's nae quite right-"

"Oh, yeah! So a Dwarf who's five hundred would be like a fifty year old human! And Dad living on the surface a hundred and thirty years is like _thirteen_ years for us!"

Dirk sighed, picking up the two lanterns and holding them out to the pair. "C'mon, then. Ye want tae gang off tae th' Dwarven village sae badly? 'en let's be off."

Anna and Lloyd both turned to stare at him.

"You really want to?" "Wha-? For real?"

Dirk grinned. "I'll lead th' way. An' while we're walkin', I can tell tell ye twa all abit how Dwarves age."

"Will you tell us how old you are, Dad?"

"Now, where's th' fun in 'at?"

* * *

The path was dimly lit, the darkness seeming to squeeze their lanterns into tiny pricks of light that barely touched the walls around them. Dirk, however, could see better in the low light, and he led the way along the descending path.

"...though 'ey're fully grown at age sixty, 'ey tend tae remain apprenticed tae a professional until th' age ay one-hundred. It's rare tae see one operatin' his ain forge until age one hundred an' fifty at least. One hundred an' fifty is considered a prime marriageable age tay, bit some lovebirds will marry younger."

"That's still only, like, fifteen in human terms," Anna responded after some thought. "Imagine a human getting married at fifteen… eugh, I can't even _think_ about it!"

Dirk let out a groan. "Th' whole point ay this conversation was tae get ye tae throw away 'at silly tenatae-one notion. It's a false equivalence."

"False equivalence…?" Lloyd repeated.

"It means it's nae th' same, Lloyd."

"Ah."

"But even so…" Lloyd had been trying to do the math in his head, and he'd finally come up with an answer that sounded about right. "...if Dwarves begin adolescence at about thirty and are fully grown by the age of sixty, that's still like… thirty _years_ of puberty."

"That's gotta suck!" Anna gasped. "Like, for real! Now I'm kinda glad I'm not a Dwarf after all."

"I've got a whole new respect for you, Dad."

"Ye twa…" Dirk sighed and turned back to them. "Ye're tryin' tae put Dwarven experiences intae a human context, an' it's ne'er gonnae fit. Can ye nae accept 'at humans an' Dwarves are different?"

Lloyd and Anna glanced at each other and looked down in embarrassment. "S-sorry," they both said in unison. Lloyd continued, saying "but we just don't have anything else to compare it to. You've lived among humans long enough to see whole lives pass in front of you. But you're one of the only Dwarves we know, and you look the same as you did when we first met."

Dirk was quiet for a moment, his expression softening as he considered Lloyd's words.

"...aye, I suppose I didnae 'hink ay it like 'at. It's harder fer ye than it is fer me. In 'at case, I shouldnae be so hard on ye fer tryin' yer best tae understand. Jist- keep an open mind, 'kay? Especially if we meet Dwarves in th' village."

The two nodded. " _Yes sir_!"

"Good," Dirk nodded and turned back to guiding them. "An' perhaps I've been tay serious, tawkin' abit physiology this whole time. Why don't ye ask me abit Dwarven culture instead?"

Lloyd was quick to reply. "Ooh, I have one! I noticed that Altessa has a long beard that he's styled, but you keep yours short. Is there reasoning behind the length and style of a Dwarf's beard?"

"Hm, I 'hink it used tae be, lang ago. Now it's jist personal aesthetic. Smiths have tae keep their beards short o' braided back fer safety, but other than 'at, it's up tae th' individual. I keep mine short 'cause it's aye easier tae deal wi'. Bit many prefer 'em lang sae they can style 'em."

Anna skipped along ahead of Lloyd so that she was next to Dirk. "My grandmother said that her Dwarven great-grandmother always braided flowers into her beard. Is that common?"

"Common in 'at flowers are prized fer their rarity underground, sae any adornment 'at incorporates flowers is a sort ay status symbol. I'm sure a Dwarf livin' oan th' surface would'a taken full advantage ay 'at."

Lloyd stumbled forward to catch up, slipping a little on the slick floor. "Do Dwarven women style their beards more than men do?"

Dirk shook his head. "Nae necessarily. Bit women's beards grow faster than men's, an' come in earlier tay. Both ay my aulder sisters said they had full beards at th' age ay fourty-five, and I barely had more'n peach fuzz at th' same age."

Anna laughed. "I guess puberty is an awkward time for everyone, even if it's stretched out over three decades."

"Aye, 'at's one thing 'at _is_ th' same between humans an' Dwarves."

By this point, they'd reached the creek bed that had been mentioned in the directions. It was a long step down from the path they'd been on, so Dirk went first, jumping down into the water with a splash.

"It's only up tae my ankles, bit' it's movin' fast. Ye'll easily be swept off yer feet if ye're nae careful. Step lightly."

Lloyd sat down on the edge, reaching down to take Dirk's hand and sliding off into the water. He handed his lantern off to his father and turned around to help his mother. She followed his lead, sitting down on the edge and sliding down into Lloyd's arms. He gently lowered her down into the water.

"It's almost a straight shot to the village now, right?" he asked.

Anna smiled and nodded. "One kilometer along the streambed and then a turn north, the directions said. We're so close!"

Dirk sighed and nodded.

"A real Dwarven village aifter aw this time… I wonder…"


End file.
